Several deviations in work for ISBT Tura: CAG

SHILLONG: There is delay in completion and handing over the Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) project in Tura, a report made by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India noted.
In order to provide Tura town with a planned parking lot for long distance buses, the Union government on March 2012, sanctioned Rs 45.32 crore for construction of the ISBT.
The cost of the project was to be shared between the Central and the State government government at Rs 41.41 crore and Rs 3.91 crore respectively. The project was to be completed within two years. While National Building Constructions Corporation Ltd (NBCCL) was the executing agency, the Urban Affairs Department (UAD) was to monitor the project.
The report stated that the NBCCL started the work during January 2013 and completed the project in January 2016 after a delay of one year. However, the Urban Affairs Department had not taken over the parking lot despite repeated requests from NBCCL delaying the inauguration of the ISBT further.
“No recorded reason was available for not taking over the completed project,” the report added.
Further, a joint physical verification of the ISBT, Tura conducted on 25 and 26 July 2017 revealed several deviations in the works as compared to the approved DPR.
It was observed that facilities for security and transport control systems estimated to cost Rs 1.10 crore were not found installed and instead of installing ten ‘high mast lighting of 15 meters length’ estimated to cost Rs 80 lakh, only four was found installed. It also said that instead of constructing an underground water pump of 1 lakh litres capacity estimated to cost Rs 9 lakh, an underground water sump of only 0.60 lakh litres was constructed.
“Instead of installing a 500 KV A ‘Outdoor generator’ valuing Rs 35 lakh, a 200 KV A ‘Outdoor generator’ was found installed. Similarly, instead of installing a 630 KVA ‘Outdoor transformer’ estimated to cost Rs 15 lakh, a 500 KVA ‘Outdoor transformer’ was found installed,” the report added.
While accepting the audit observations, the Director, Urban Affairs Department in November 2017 stated that the delay in taking over of the ISBT was due to pending works like installation of CCTV, TV monitors, provision of sitting arrangement, electric service connection and others which were to be completed by NBCCL.
The Director, UAD also accepted the deviation in numbers of high mast lighting, capacity of the UG water sump, capacity of outdoor generator and outdoor transformer but attributed the reason to offset the higher cost of electrical transformer and to provide for items such as electrical water pump for which no separate provision was made in the DPR.
“The reply was however, silent about the approval of the competent authority for deviating from the approved estimates,” the report added.