– Akhilesh Tripathi
Lucknow: A startling case of embezzlement involving ₹540 crore has emerged in the construction of the Purvanchal Expressway in Uttar Pradesh, as revealed by an audit report from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
The construction of the Purvanchal Expressway began on October 10, 2018, and it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 16, 2021. Although the project was not fully completed, it was opened to the public ahead of the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. The government made ambitious claims, stating that the expressway would reduce travel distances and drive regional development. Despite the fanfare and publicity surrounding its inauguration, the project is now mired in allegations of financial misconduct.
The expressway spans 340.824 kilometres, connecting Chand Sarai village in Gosai Ganj, Lucknow district, to Haidariya village near Mohammadabad-Buxar Highway (NH-31) in Ghazipur district. Designed as a six-lane expressway, it links several districts, including Lucknow, Barabanki, Amethi, Sultanpur, Ayodhya, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh, Mau, and Ghazipur.
Also, a 3.2-kilometer-long emergency airstrip for aircraft landings was constructed near Akhlakhiri Karwat village in Sultanpur district. The project was executed by the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA).
The CAG audit report highlighted major irregularities, revealing that six contractors were improperly awarded an early completion bonus totalling ₹104.01 crore. Such bonuses are meant to be granted only after the full completion of a project. However, in this case, payments were made despite the incomplete status of the work, resulting in a loss of ₹431.83 crore to the state treasury.
In total, these irregularities caused a financial loss of approximately ₹540 crore, raising serious concerns about mismanagement and corruption in the project.
Having come to know these improper payments, Azad Adhikar Sena lodged a complaint with Uttar Pradesh government, demanding action. However, the government remained silent, prompting Amitabh Thakur, National President of the Sena, to move the Uttar Pradesh Lokayukta.
Amitabh Thakur stated: “The Purvanchal Expressway is a dream project of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who personally monitored its progress. Despite this, ₹540 crore was wrongly paid to six contractors as bonuses. The CAG audit report explicitly mentions this scam and the loss to the treasury. After filing a complaint with the state government and receiving no response, I approached the Lokayukta, seeking appropriate action.”
This case raises critical questions: Why were bonuses paid to contractors despite the incomplete status of the project? Under what rules or provisions were these payments made? Was the state government complicit in these improper payments? Why was the state treasury burdened with a loss of ₹540 crore? Did any officials personally benefit from these transactions?
The silence of the Uttar Pradesh government on this matter casts doubt on its claims of integrity and transparency. While it touts honesty and good governance, the administration’s handling of the Purvanchal Expressway project contradicts these assertions, resulting in a massive financial loss to the state exchequer. Clear answers from the government are essential to restoring public trust and ensuring accountability.
