The Anti-Corruption Bureau Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday said it has booked BEACON authorities and a private contractor for substandard work on Srinagar-Baramulla highway.

“We have filed a case (FIR No. 07/2021) at Police Station ACB Baramulla under sections 7, 13(1) (a) r/w section 13(2) of Prevention Corruption Act 1988. Further investigation of the case is going on,” a senior ACB official said.
An official statement said the BEACON authorities and proprietors of M/s Mirza Infrastructure Builders, Nowgam, Srinagar have been booked for laying sub-standard Macdam on National Highway from Kitchama to Baramulla.
“Anti Corruption Bureau registered an FIR against gross violations committed by BEACON authorities in the execution of work of ‘Providing and Laying and Consolidation of Ready Made Bituminous (HMP) for Macadam(BM) 50mm thick layer & Bituminous Concrete (BC) 40mm thick layer for resurfacing works between KM 25.00 to 78.00 (Net length 16. 8282 KM) on Srinagar-Baramulla-Uri road in 53 RCC Sector under 760 BRTF/Project Beacon in J&K (UT)” allotted vide work order No.01 dated 03-08-2020 to M/S Mirza Infrastructure Builders Nowgam Srinagar,” the statement said.
Officials said a joint surprise check (JSC) was conducted by ACB into the allegations of laying substandard macadam on National Highway in Pattan Town area and Baramulla Town by BEACON authorities.
“During JSC, it was found, that the macadam work executed at various locations has been completely damaged besides shortfall in thickness of macadam laid on the said road, during physical inspection the thickness of macadam also does not correlate with the ones shown executed by the concerned agency in their records,” the statement said.
“Besides, the quality of macadam laid on the said road was also not upto the mark and substandard material has been used for the macadamization. The tentative loss to the tune of Rs. 72.95 lakh (approx.) on account of shortfall of macadam quantity has been found during check,” it said.