Bringing MBL to book

The Assam government has thankfully used the stick against MBL Construction Company, the contractor firm building the Khapara-Sopur stretch of the East West Corridor. Dispur has lodged a police case against MBL for ‘endangering public safety and misusing public money’, after detecting its shoddy work in the flyover near Ganesh Mandir at 8th Mile on Guwahati outskirts. After a huge hole developed on this flyover recently, MBL did not bother to go for thorough repairs, instead choosing to plug it with earth. So when it rained heavily a few days later, the earthen plug gave way. Such crimil negligence put to risk the lives of more than 40 passengers on a night bus the front wheel of which nearly got trapped in the hole. Other vehicles on this busy flyover were also put to danger, triggering a huge public outcry. A prelimiry official inquiry has now exposed wilful violation of origil design as well as glaring technical faults. There are allegations that the same negligence caused the collapse of the RCC bridge over Digaru at Sopur a few days back. Though MBL is now officially under the scanner, the roles of the tiol Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for appointing MBL as a contractor as well as the RITES for its lax supervision, are being publicly questioned. What comes through clearly is the utter disregard and callousness of these leading infrastructure agencies towards public safety in this region, and their greed to make a fast buck by cutting corners shamelessly.

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