Tollgate: Crucial files go missing

The ministry earlier this year in September told the CAG that they were unable to provide these files as they were ‘old records and were not readily available’. The national auditor has raised serious concerns over the casual approach of the ministry over such files – where a hefty volume of money 

(Rs 78,500 crore) is involved.

The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure (CCI) had approved identification and prioritization of road stretches of 20,000 km across India. Due to the delay in proper planning, the estimated cost of Rs 27,800 Crore (including public participation to extent of Rs 9368 Crore) as a whole (at 2006 prices) increased to Rs 78,500 Crore, at 2009 prices (including public participation to extent of Rs 27,660 Crore) as worked out by the finance wing of the MoRTH.

“Specific reasons for delay in approval could not be examined in Audit in absence of relevant records at MoRTH. Also in absence of written records, audit was unable to draw as assurance whether an objective, transparent and rational procedure was followed for identification, selection and prioritization of road stretches taken up for implementation under PPP,” CAG’s observation reads.

A well placed sources said, “It is worrying that even after the matter of missing files was taken up at the level of Joint Secretary and Secretary, nothing was done to ensure that the audit agency was provided the records.”