CBI probe sought into tenders for NH works

KOCHI: A petition was filed before the Kerala High Court on Wednesday seeking a CBI probe into the corruption in connection with the award of tender for the expansion of national highway from Mannuthy to Angamaly.The petitioners, Joy Kaitharath and V R Suresh of Thrissur, submitted that the tender was awarded to Guruvayur Infrastructure (P) Ltd which had not even taken part in the tender process. An independent inquiry was essential to find out the role of officials of the National Highways Authority of India. The company had completed work on the 40-km long Mannuthy-Angamaly stretch and so it has no authority to collect toll for the 25.6 km from Angamaly to Edappally. It was against Rule 5 of the National Highway (Fees for the use of NH section and permanent bridge-public funded project) Rules, the petitioners said. The manner in which the work was awarded and the right to collect the toll show that things were not done in a transparent manner, the petitioners submitted.