New Delhi: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, known to call a spade a spade, was critical of those who draw up detailed project reports (DPR) for building important highways and tunnels.
Highway mishaps and tunnel collapses can happen if proper procedures are not followed, said Gadkari.
“I should not use these words, but if there is any culprit in this, then it is the one who made the DPR. I apologise; I am using the word culprit. The companies that make DPRs are owned by retired government officers. They work on Google from their homes without any detailed investigation,” the minister for Road Transport and Highways said at the 2nd edition of ‘Tunnelling India’ organised by FICCI.
Gadkari stressed that it’s very important for makers of DPR — summary of key elements of any large project — to stick to proper procedures since it contains a lot of technical information.
“Our government has such a system that after getting the DPR, they only do the work of issuing the tender. Because the ministers are not the ones to understand technical terms, technical and financial qualifications are also wisely included by the officials,” he said.
Some companies manipulate the tender process, which brings in risks of errors in the final project, cautioned the minister.
“I have no hesitation in saying that some big companies get these financial and technical qualifications done as per their own calculation,” Gadkari emphasised, adding that manipulation in the tender process leads to cost escalation.
He suggested that one way to counter this tendency is to ensure healthy competition and carry out comprehensive studies, citing the Zozila tunnel as an example of efficiency.
He pointed out that government officers have a major influence in the decision-making process.
“I feel that we run the government… our joint secretary, undersecretary are guides and philosophers. And whatever they write on the file is signed by the Director General, and the minister also signs it in the same manner. This is how our Ram Rajya runs,” Gadkari said.
