Malappuram: UDF leaders have accused Thavanur MLA K T Jaleel of corruption in the Chamravattom Regulator cum Bridge (RoB) project, claiming that the project, originally intended for irrigation, flood control, and tourism development, has turned into a massive financial scam.
UDF district chairman P T Ajay Mohan and convenor Ashraf Kokkur alleged that Jaleel manipulated technical specifications in the tender process for the project maintenance, resulting in a Rs 6 crore financial loss for the government.
The leaders have filed a complaint with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, demanding a vigilance probe into Jaleel’s involvement in altering the technical standards. In protest of the alleged corruption, the UDF district committee has announced a one-day hunger strike at Chamravattom on the 24th of this month.
“The Chambravattam project, built for Rs 160 crore, has failed to meet its objectives due to construction flaws. The regulator had leakage issues from the outset, requiring an additional Rs 45 crore for repairs. Reports from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had earlier flagged a Rs 2.5 crore misappropriation related to illegal sand mining during construction,” Ajay Mohan said.
The government appointed IIT Delhi to prepare a report to address the leakage, and a contract for maintenance work was awarded in 2020. The UDF leaders claim that K T Jaleel intervened to change the specification of the iron sheets from 123 kilograms per square meter to 93 kilograms per square meter.
“Jaleel, in a letter dated June 5, 2020, influenced the then irrigation minister to approve the use of thinner foreign-standard sheets instead of the Indian standard, allegedly benefiting the contractor financially. This move reportedly reduced the security deposit of the contractor by Rs 65.2 lakh and inflated the cost of the repair works, increasing the estimate from Rs 32.8 crore to Rs 40 crore. However, the government has not revised the expenditure despite the reduced cost,” Ashraf Kokkur said.
The UDF leaders have warned that if the government does not take action, they will approach the High Court to ensure a thorough investigation and accountability in the case.
The Chamravattom Bridge, located across the Bharathapuzha River and connecting the Ponnani and Tirur Taluks, was inaugurated in 2012. It was designed to supply drinking water to 14 panchayats near the Tirur and Ponnani municipalities while also meeting the irrigation needs of these areas. The bridge is the largest of its kind in Kerala and has reduced the distance between Kochi and Kozhikode by 20 kilometres.