Villagers Demand Action Against Contractor
Pune: Serious allegations of irregularities and corruption have emerged regarding the recently constructed cement roads in the Malthan and Rajegaon border areas of eastern Daund. Local residents have labeled the construction as extremely poor in quality, leading to growing demands for an investigation into the contractor and overseeing officials.
While MLA Rahul Kul has secured crores of rupees in development funds for the tehsil’s infrastructure—with many areas seeing high-quality results—the situation in Malthan tells a different story. Specifically, in Yewale Basti, a fund of ₹14 lakh was allocated for a cement road. Similarly, the Tavgaon-Swami Chincholi road was constructed at a cost of ₹13.20 lakh. Notably, both projects were handled by the same contractor under the supervision of the Public Works Department (PWD).
Suspected Collusion
Villagers are questioning the role of PWD officials, asking why the work wasn’t stopped during construction if it was so flawed. There are suspicions that senior officials might be shielding the contractor. Furthermore, reports suggest a “sub-contracting” culture where the original contractor passes the work to others for a commission, leading to compromised quality. Residents have now urged MLA Rahul Kul to intervene personally, penalize the contractor, and ensure the roads are rebuilt to standard.
“We have received complaints regarding all ongoing cement road works in the Malthan area. The concerned contractors have been instructed to follow the official estimates and have been issued formal notices. Furthermore, we have ordered an immediate halt to all these construction activities for the time being.”
— Swapnil Tambe, Section Engineer, Public Works Department (PWD), Daund.
