ABYSA alleges embezzlement of crores of funds in Silchar–Lumding BG construction
SILCHAR, August 5: All Barak Youth Students’ Association (ABYSA) alleged embezzlement of more than one thousand crores in the construction of Silchar–Lumding broad–gauge during the last seventeen years.
Addressing a press meet held here recently, ABYSA’s chief convener Baharul Islam Barbuiya said that a syndicate of some railway officials, political leaders and the members of construction agency entrusted with the work to scuttle the project. This syndicate is involved behind the undue delay of the completion of much awaited gauge conversion work.
Baharul said that a total of Rs 648 crore was allocated in the initial phase during 1996–97 financial year as the project cost which had now shot up to Rs 4255 crore. According to the railway department, till March this year a total of Rs 3433 crores and 79 lakhs was allocated for the construction of 421 kilometer gauge conversion project. The website of the railway department further states that only 69 per cent of the total work was completed by March. “Although 80 per cent of total funds were allocated, but only 69 percent of the work was completed. The adequate funds are there, but the project is dragging its feat year after year. It is quite clear now that more than one thousand crore was embezzled in the construction of gauge conversion project by the syndicate,” Baharul alleged.
Taking a dig at the political leaders of Barak Valley for maintaining “intriguing silence” for the expeditious completion of broad gauge works, he said that all the political parties only raise the issue of broad–gauge on the eve elections. “They indulge in dirty politics in the name of broad gauge during the election campaign in order to get votes,” he alleged.
ABYSA warned the political leaders to refrain from doing “dirty politics” over broad–gauge in the next year’s Parliamentary elections. Among others present at the press meet included Amalava Das, Abdul Rezzaq Barbhuiya, Mustafa Ahmed Laskar.
Source: The Sentinel 06.08.2013
