Shoddy workmanship and delay in construction prompted the civic body in Gujarat’s Rajkot to suspend two engineering officials and issue show-cause notices to two senior supervisory officers overseeing three flyovers being built in the largest city in the Saurashtra region.
The move came after a report by the Project Management Unit (PMU), set up by the Municipal Commissioner Tushar Sumera to investigate the delay in construction, flagged defects and rusted steel rebars, apart from the slow pace of construction of the three flyovers located in Phase-I of the RR-2, between the Jamnagar road and Kalavad road intersections.
The three flyovers — BR-2, BR-3 and BR-4 — are part of the ongoing expansion of the two-lane Phase-I stretch of RR-2 into a four-lane road, along with additional infrastructure. The original two-lane section was completed in 2016. The three flyovers together have an estimated project cost of around Rs 40 crore.
Following the findings and an on-site inspection by Sumera on September 7, the civic body suspended Deputy Executive Engineer (Civil), Ward No. 9, Vijay C Kariya, and Assistant Engineer (Civil), West Zone, Vishal M Vagadia.
“The survey report filed by the PMU found shortcomings in the work of three bridges. Due to the clear lack of workmanship in the work and serious negligence, laxity and carelessness towards duty, Kariya and Vagadia were suspended from their duties,” the civic body said in a statement.
In addition, the civic body issued show-cause notices to Deputy Municipal Commissioner of West Zone Chetan Nandani and Executive City Engineer Kuntesh Mehta.
An inspection and probe
This action came after an on-site review conducted by Sumera on September 7, in light of the PMU survey. Accountability, however, was not limited to those overseeing the project.
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Speaking to The Indian Express, Sumera said the inspection had uncovered several concerns. “The steel used in the construction was found to be rusted, which means proper care has not been taken. Further, there are spacing issues in the placement of the steel,” he said.
He added that the project was significantly behind schedule. “The work should have reached 90 per cent completion by now, but it has barely reached 40 per cent. The timeline has not been followed, and quality has not been followed, and such compromise cannot be allowed in such structures,” Sumera said.
According to the Commissioner, the PMU was set up after the delay in construction came to his notice. Its survey subsequently found that the problem went beyond delays. “Apart from the delay, even the quality is an issue. So I visited the sites, and then took action,” he said.
A detailed investigation is now expected to follow. Sumera said the Vigilance Department would probe the project and determine whether any portions need to be demolished. He said notices would also be issued wherever corrective work is required.
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The contractor will also be held accountable, Sumera said. “We will also be issuing notice to the contractor company, which is bound to give us quality work as per the tender protocols.”
In October 2025, The Indian Express published a report on the condition of the RR-2, its shortfalls, and the need for upgrades to meet the burgeoning population and connectivity needs of Western Gujarat.
Brendan Dabhi works with The Indian Express, focusing his comprehensive reporting primarily on Gujarat. He covers the region's most critical social, legal, and administrative sectors, notably specializing at the intersection of health, social justice, and disasters.
Expertise
Health and Public Policy: He has deep expertise in healthcare issues, including rare diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), the complex logistics of organ transplants, and public health challenges like drug-resistant TB and heat health surveillance. His on-ground reporting during the COVID-19 pandemic and Mucormycosis was critical in exposing healthcare challenges faced by marginalized communities in Gujarat.
Social Justice and Legal Administration: He reports on the functioning of the legal and police system, including the impact of judicial philosophy, forensics and crucial administrative reforms (. He covers major surveillance and crackdown exercises by the Gujarat police and security on the international border.
Disaster and Crisis Management: His work closely tracks how government and civic bodies respond to large-scale crises, providing essential coverage on the human and administrative fallout of disasters including cyclones, floods, conflict, major fires and reported extensively on the AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad.
Civic Infrastructure and Governance: Provides timely reports on critical civic failures, including large scale infrastructure projects by the railways and civic bodies, as well as the enforcement of municipal regulations and their impact on residents and heritage. ... Read More
