Hamirpur: Road construction norms flouted, officials pulled up

Hamirpur, May 24

A World Bank (WB) team inspected the work on the National Highway No. 3 here yesterday. It reportedly pulled up officials of the construction company for non-compliance of norms.

Residents of various villages affected by the project met the WB team and apprised it about their problems. Bhoranj SDM Sanjay Thakur, who accompanied the team, said the WB officials directed the construction firm to address the grievances of the affected people on priority or else the funding of the project could be affected.

The SDM said the company and the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had assured the World Bank team that the issues of the people would be addressed on priority.

The company has not only put people living along the highway in distress, but has also dumped debris at a cultivable private land. Resident of Thana Drogan, Tauni Devi and Barin Mandir villages had made repeated complaints to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the SDO, Bhoranj, about the dumping of debris.

Kuldeep Kumar of Kot village said the site engineers of the company had turned a deaf ear towards their plight. He added that the company neither sprayed water to control dust nor listened to the grievances of the affected people.