It said that the Executive Engineer (EE), Road Construction Department (RCD) officials, Giridih and District Land Acquisition Officer (DLAO) were spent due to lack of coordination.
“,” The inability to provide additional funds to the District Land Acquisition Officer for the acquisition of land for widening of road, and lack of coordination between EE and District Land Acquisition Officer … resulted in an unnecessary spent of Rs 19.15 crore, “Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) said in their report.
The report is related to the 18.85 km stretch of Kodambi-Mandro-A-A-A-A-A-ACOCO-Esco road in Giridih district, which was approved in 2011 at an estimated cost of Rs 29.94 crore in 2011, for which administrative approval was given in 2012 to complete the project till 2012-13.
The project required the acquisition of 86.16 acres of land in 20 villages.
According to the CAG, investigation of records made in September 2021 and March 2023 revealed that EE, RCD, Giridi requested Deputy Commissioner, Giridih between March 2012 and March 2013 to acquire the identified land. The failure to complete the acquisition process within the scheduled timeline leads to an increase in the costs of the project. A revised estimate of Rs 51.12 crore, incorporating land acquisition cost of Rs 19.15 crore and updated as per the July 2016, was technically approved in December 2016.
The CAG noticed that timely and effective coordination between the officials concerned presented the cost of Rs 19.15 crore “ineffective”, as the land acquisition was not completed within the original project schedule.
It said that the matter was informed to the department in November 2023 and his reply was awaited.
