ACAUT Nagaland has lauded Centre’s decision to terminate the contract awarded to M/s Maytas-Gayatri, stating that it was a step in the right direction for the highly controversial highway project in Nagaland.
ACAUT media cell in a press release said it had submitted a representation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit on November 30, demanding that the Centre review the project and institute a CBI probe into the scam in the light of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) damning report specifying the 2-laning project “revised estimate of 200% as shocking.”
Modi Government which has taken cognizance of the scam was laudable, ACAUT stated. It pointed out that M/s Maytas-Gayatri was not only “blacklisted but its officials responsible for the embezzlement of funds booked and jailed to set a befitting example; and the same yardstick should be applied to the conniving parties in the State R&B department”.
While requesting MoRTH and government of India to begin the 2-lanning of Longleng-Changtongya, Mon-Tamlu-Merangkong, Phek-Pfutsero and Zunheboto-Chakabama at the earliest, ACAUT said the state should not lose out on development front on account of corrupt officials.
According to a report last month, the Centre was set to terminate the contract for a bunch of highly controversial highway projects in the country, which saw an over two-fold increase in costs even before a single kilometre was constructed.