State recovers about Rs 19 crore from co. for ditching proj midway

Kolkata: The Housing department has recovered nearly Rs 19 crore from a construction engineering company that washed its hands off during execution of a project midway at Raniganj coal field area.

“Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lately has been vocal against negligence and delay in execution of different projects. We have initiated strong penal measures against construction defaulters in such an innovative project involved in rehabilitating people who have been affected due to subsidence or fire in the coal belt area of Asansol,” said an official of the Housing department which is executing the scheme. Sources said the department roped in the company for executing a project titled RCFA (Raniganj Coal Field Area Relocation Programme) aimed at constructing flats for relocating people affected due to subsidence or fire in the coal belt of Raniganj and its adjoining areas. About 3500 such flats were constructed in Andal, Barabani and Jamuria blocks in Asansol while another 3000 are to come up as part of the project.

“For some unknown reasons, the company left the project midway creating problems for the state government. We recovered to the tune of Rs 19 crore as penalty from the guarantee money that was with us. The company had moved the judiciary demanding injunction which was turned down,” the official maintained, adding that the state government has withheld payments to the agency.

The construction of flats under the project started from 2021 with the Industry and Commerce being the nodal department for the same.