Crime Bureau, Tolivelugu: The Crime Bureau of Tolivelugu has been consistently reporting the robbery that is happening in the name of the Kaleswaram project. In the three articles given so far, people have got clarity on many things. They found out how much was stolen through the project. Now let’s see more details in Part 4 about how public money was hidden by spending on unnecessary things and writing more on non-existent ones.
The contractor who gave Harish Rao a difficult time
Kaleswaram project works have become more and more difficult. The decision of subcontracting the civil work with 40 percent commission has become a curse for the people of Telangana. There are people who are afraid that the banks of the canal will be cut down and the villages will be drowned. Two years ago, the right canal from Kondapochamma in Siddapet to Yadadri got clogged. As a result, the suburb of Venkatapur was submerged. Recently the cement collapsed at the 6th milestone of Annaram Gravity Canal. In civil works, which should have been very strong for decades, substandard structures are emerging. There are suspicions that the wall was built to sink the Lakshmi pump house in Kannepally. But the then Irrigation Minister Harish Rao expressed his displeasure over all this but did not listen. Those close to him say that it is not an exaggeration to say that it made his position to be affected.
Engineers also allege that the minister was paid a handsome amount in the form of commissions. It is said that the gap between KCR and Harish has increased on this issue. It can be understood how powerful the contractor has grown to the point of sidelining Harish Rao, who returned with a leg brace. Allegations are being heard that the leaders of the BJP, who are the main opposition, are not speaking up about the Kaleswaram pump houses, or else they should observe how far Megha’s power of corruption has gone.
Loot by packages!
The way Pranahita-Chevella project was divided into 7 links and 28 pages, the same was followed in the Kaleswaram redesign. A lot of work has already been completed. A lot of money was spent to improve them. If you take a look at packages 6, 8, and 10, it is easy to understand their case.
Package 6- Additional expenses
In package 6, Rs.55 crores have been allocated for earth work excavation for the approach canal. Again, Rs.15 crore was given to the drop structure. In the construction of the gravity canal, Rs.10 crores have been allocated for earthwork lining, Rs.15 crores for CM and CD structures, and an additional Rs.12 crores. Along with the late ramp, Rs.22 crores and another Rs.3 crores were given to In-Tech and Portals. Rs.925 crores have been allocated for tunnels, Rs.170 crores first for surge pool, then Rs.151 crores, Rs.42 crores for tube tunnel, and then additional Rs.7 crores. HT towers shifting, telephone lines, and water pipes were supposed to cost Rs.85 lakhs, but an additional bill of Rs.50 lakhs was given. With this, the calculation reached Rs.1.35 crores. Finally, in the name of technical agents, they exploited up to Rs.50 lakhs.
Package 8- Additional expenses
In Package 8, the amount after completion is very different from the estimate. If Rs 393.68 crores are expected for the excavation of the tunnel and lining, an additional Rs 127.61 crores have been drawn. The total reached Rs 521.29 crore. An additional bill of Rs 40.73 crore has been put out of Rs 99.84 crore for various works in Gravity Canal. A total of Rs 140.57 crores was withdrawn. In relation to the lift and civil, an additional Rs 392.16 crore has been spent on other works including surge pools and pump house in the ‘A’ part, if Rs 405.40 crore is expected. That means the total is Rs 797.56 crores. It should be clear how much it has gone astray. And while the works related to electro-mechanical and hydro-mechanical in part (B) included the subtotal of Rs 1,730.31 crore, Rs 897.99 crore was taken as extra. The total is Rs 2,628.29 crores. Also, if we consider Rs 491.27 crore for insurance, banking charges, VAT service tax, and maintenance scheme, an additional Rs 176.95 crore has been incurred. The total is Rs 668.22 crores. If non-contract works of Rs 285.70 crore are included for all these, the total value is Rs 3,406.20 crore, while the bills of Rs 1,635.44 crore have been billed as Extra. A total of Rs 5,041.63 crore was spent on the 8th package. There are doubts about how much of this was properly spent.
Package 10- Additional Expenses
As far as package 10 is concerned, IBM billed Rs 11.75 crore for various works for the approach canal (3.40 km) while Rs 60.11 crore was expected. He said that a total of Rs.71.86 crores had been spent. Rs.219.85 crores were spent on the lift and civil works, while Rs.54.49 crores were spent on Extra. The total is Rs.274.32 crores. And for electro-mechanical and hydromechanical, if Rs.814.03 crores are thought to be Rs.342.15 crores, the total is Rs.1,156.18 crores. But for the formation of reservoirs, too bad. While the IMB was Rs.101.57 crores, the total expenditure was Rs.316.99 crores. A total of Rs.418.56 crore bills were placed here. It was written that if Rs.1,598.79 crores were expected for six phases of work, it was Rs.2,324.17 crores.
Package 11- Additional Expenses
In this too, the additional costs have been severe. He said that if the IBM amount for excavation of the pool is Rs. 147.30 crores, another Rs. 98.18 crores has been spent. Pumps, Motors, Electro-Mechanical, Hydro Mechanical vs. Rs.957.03 Crores, with an additional Rs.474.62 Crores, it became Rs.1,431.65 Crores. In the works of formation of the reservoir, Rs.583.76 crore has been spent as extra against the estimate of Rs.93.48 crore. The total amount is Rs.677.24 crores. It seems that additional expenses and wastages have been done well in each package. It remains to be seen how much of them have been diverted by Megha.
How much loan was taken for the Kaleshwaram project? How is the government intending to pay? Who has that power? Is the government a guarantee? How much amount was taken from which banks? Let’s see in Kaleswaram Stories- Part 5.