Controversy Rocks Haflong: AAP Alleges PWD Officials ‘Illegally’ Award Road Contracts in Shadows

March 1, 2025 2 Min Read

Assam’s PWD Officials Embroiled in Alleged Corruption Scandal

A fresh wave of corruption allegations has hit the Public Works Department (PWD) in Haflong Division, Assam’s Dima Hasao district, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) taking aim at officials accused of bypassing fair tender processes to award contracts to favored individuals.

According to AAP’s Dima Hasao Committee leader Bapojit Langthasa, the department is ignoring the formal tender process, instead executing projects without public notice, effectively excluding local contractors from bidding opportunities. This, he claims, allows officials to secretly award contracts to those with "political or official connections."

Langthasa, who filed an RTI application to obtain project details, was met with resistance from Executive Engineer Nuruz Zaman Ahmed, who allegedly refused to provide a copy of the ‘Notice Inviting Tender’ letter. The AAP leader asserts that this is a clear indication of a pattern aimed at concealing the selection process.

Furthermore, Langthasa has alleged that the department is engaging in "retroactive tender issuance," where projects are awarded in advance, followed by formal tenders released later, denying other contractors a fair chance to participate.

This is not the first time the Haflong PWD officials have faced corruption allegations. In 2023, Executive Engineer Manuj Kumar Saikia was caught accepting a bribe, resulting in the seizure of over Rs. 45 lakhs from his residence and office. Similarly, Executive Engineer Biraj Kumar Bhattacharjee was removed in September after a recording of him demanding a large bribe from a contractor surfaced.

The allegations come at a time when the PWD is responsible for several major road projects in the region. The claims are being closely monitored by local authorities, who are now investigating the matter.

Scandal Timeline:

2023: Executive Engineer Manuj Kumar Saikia is caught accepting a bribe, resulting in the seizure of over Rs. 45 lakhs.
September 2023: Executive Engineer Biraj Kumar Bhattacharjee is removed after a recording of him demanding a large bribe from a contractor surfaces.

Key Points:

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has accused the Public Works Department (PWD) in Haflong Division, Assam’s Dima Hasao district, of secretly awarding road contracts.
The department is allegedly bypassing formal tender processes, awarding contracts to select individuals.
Local contractors are being excluded from bidding opportunities, with some claims of "retroactive tender issuance" and "politically connected" contractors benefiting from the practice.
This is not the first time the Haflong PWD officials have faced corruption allegations, with prior instances of bribery and corruption resulting in disciplinary action.

Sources:

Nenow News, "Assam: AAP accuses Haflong PWD officials of secretly awarding road contracts" (Source: https://nenow.in/north-east-news/assam/assam-aap-accuses-haflong-pwd-officials-of-secretly-awarding-road-contracts.html)

Original Source: https://nenow.in/north-east-news/assam/assam-aap-accuses-haflong-pwd-officials-of-secretly-awarding-road-contracts.html
Category : Assam,Northeast News,Top News
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Publish Date: 2025-02-28 23:10:00