Gurudaspur (Natore) Correspondent
There have been allegations of widespread irregularities in the construction of an electrical substation in Gurudaspur Upazila of Natore.
A support wall on the north side of the station has already collapsed while the newly constructed main building and electrical transmission infrastructure are at risk due to landslides, 3 feet away from the main building.
Moreover, the contractor is allegedly trying to fix three more tilted walls by supporting the walls with wooden poles and soil. The electric substation is being constructed along the Nayabazar highway of Gurudaspur upazila under the Gurudaspur zonal office of Natore Palli Bidyut Samiti-2.
According to the investigation, TS Transformation Ltd, a Dhaka-based contractor company, got the tender for the construction work of the substation at a cost of Tk 6 crore 63 lakh 98 thousand 500 hundred.
The substation is being constructed on crop land about 12 feet below the highway by leveling it up to the highway. Support Walls have been constructed around the ground to retain the soil. Basically those walls are collapsing due to the pressure of the soil, increasing the risk. To retain the soil, the contractor was supposed to build a RCC guarder from the depths of the crop land and then build the support walls above the guarder. However, the contractor built the support walls without building the RCC guarder first.
Now a wall 40 feet long has collapsed under the pressure of the soil. Other walls are also on the verge of collapsing.
Gurudaspur zonal office of Palli Bidyut Samiti says that the construction work of the substation started in July, 2018. Although the work was supposed to be completed within a year, it has not been completed even after 3 and a half years.
However, the electrical transmission system has been introduced experimentally. Due to the landslide, the circulation system is also at risk, they added.
Project Director Engineer Bishwanath said a committee has been formed to investigate the collapse of the substation wall. Even if it is late, the original work will be received according to the design.
Locals complained that despite various inconsistencies in the construction work, no one was able to protest as the sub-contractor had special ties with some influential people. Now, the issue of irregularities has come to light after the support wall has collapsed.
Tanim Ahmed, proprietor of sub-contractor S Haque Construction, said the work on the substation was being carried out by a sub-contractor. However, there are inconsistencies in some cases due to lack of ‘agreement’ with the ‘original contractor’.
Dharabarisha Union Parishad Chairman Md Abdul Matin confirmed the collapse of the wall, saying locals spoke about irregularities in substation work, but the contractor did not comply.
Rabiul Hasan, Assistant Junior Engineer of Natore Palli Bidyut Samiti-2, who is in charge of the power plant, said that the wall collapsed due to heavy rains.
Sandeep Sen, an engineer with the sub-contractor of the original contractor, claimed that the wall had collapsed due to negligence on the part of the other sub-contractor.