Bengaluru: Exposing another big scam in the BBMP, BJP city unit spokesperson N.R. Ramesh alleged that chief engineer of the BBMP Traffic Engineering Cell B.S. Prahalad, along with others, has mismanaged funds to the tune of Rs 119 crore and has swindled three-fourths of it.
Sharing documents related to the scam on Thursday, he said, “The Traffic Engineering Cell and wings under this department are responsible for taking up works related to road and pedestrian safety. For 2016-17 and 2017-18, works like lane marking, median marking, painting speed-breakers, creation of U-turns and free left turns were taken up. But Rs 119 crore has been mismanaged."
Of the Rs 119 crore, Rs 108 crore has been released to contractors and large amounts of kickbacks have been received by Mr Prahalad and his associates, he alleged.
He said, “To mark the lanes on major roads running up to 1,400 km, they have spent Rs 14 crore which is very high. For scientific management of speed-breakers, Rs 2-3 crore is enough. But they have spent crores." Mr Ramesh said that contracts that are less than Rs 2 crore only are given to the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Ltd (KRIDL). “But Mr Prahalad has thrown all rules to the wind and misused his office. Seventy one project works have been allegedly given to KRIDL. A complaint has been lodged with the Anti-Corruption Bureau and BMTF,” he said.
