Gadkari, Purohit trade barbs

Later in the day, Purohit and Gadkari hit out at each other at separate press meets. Purohit said false information had been provided to the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) which designed the concrete roads in the city.CRRI had been asked to design concrete roads for a black cotton soil surface which would bear the burden of heavy traffic. For the concretisation of the West High Court Road, CRRI was told that the road bears the load of between 8,000 t0 15,000 commercial vehicles every day. In reality, the police had banned the entry of trucks on the street.

Purohit contended that owing to the wrong information, the roads that had been built were too thick. He said the money wasted here could have been utilised elsewhere.

One name that figures prominently in this controversy is that of engineer P T Mase, national Vice President of the Indian Concrete Institute (ICI), whose Nagpur Branch was among the expert organisations consulted while drawing the road designs.

On Saturday, some office-bearers of ICI, including Mase, called a press conference to defend the concrete road project. Earlier, Mase had objected to the designs. He had said that the 30-inch thickness was not necessary in view of the traffic density. Mase had also assisted Purohit in conducting tests to strengthen his doubts.

Purohit said yesterday that Mase was “under pressure” to change his stand. He was asked by reporters whether this “pressure” was owing to Mase’s involvement in the VCA stadium collapse. Mase was the structural designer for the stadium which had collapsed during a match, killing nine people. The enquiry report, which found fault with the structural design, has been held back for unknown reasons by the state government. Purohit, however, denied knowledge about the cause of the “pressure” on Mase and said he had a lot of respect for him.

The former BJP MP also ridiculed the “unsuccessful effort by members of the Nagpur Branch of ICI to defend the corrupt practices in the construction of some cement roads in Nagpur.” He said, in trying to defend “some political personality,” ICI members had indulged in “blatant and white lies.”He alleged that Gadkari controlled the entire project. He added that the minister operated through Public Works Department Chief Engineer Devdatta Marathe and was unwilling to take action against the official in spite of evidence of irregularities.

Gadkari made light of Purohit’s outbursts. “It is his habit to level frivolous and unsubstantiated charges. Does he have a shred of evidence to prove any corruption?” he asked.

Asked about the charges made by Wadibhasmed, which he was not able to substantiate, Gadkari said “evidence” would be forthcoming. “I too have a file,” he added about the ex-MP whose family also runs a cement-manufacturing unit. He, however, maintained that he would not use this file against Purohit.