CBI Charges Chief Engineer of USBRL Project with Bribery
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Synopsis
The CBI has charged Sumeet Khajuria, a chief engineer of the Konkan Railways, for alleged bribery linked to clearing bills for the USBRL project. This project aims to enhance connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of India.
Key Takeaways
- Sumeet Khajuria is accused of bribery.
- The USBRL project connects Kashmir with the rest of India.
- Involvement of Paras Railtech and its directors.
- The railway link may be inaugurated soon.
- Expected benefits for tourism and industry.
Jammu, Feb 10 (NationPress) Officials disclosed on Monday that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has charged a chief engineer of Konkan Railways for suspected bribery connected to the approval of outstanding bills from a company involved in the construction of the Katra-Dharam segment of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway link project (USBRL).
Sumeet Khajuria, an officer from the 2005 batch of the Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE), has been identified as a suspect in a First Information Report (FIR) filed by the CBI. The FIR also names Paras Railtech Private Limited and its directors Rajesh Kumar Jain, Pushp Raj Singh, and Sulabh Rawat, under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) pertaining to criminal conspiracy along with stipulations of the Prevention of Corruption Act, according to CBI sources.
The FIR indicates that Khajuria and the company's directors were engaged in corrupt practices concerning the approval of pending bills and the modification of estimates related to the removal of tunnel muck during the execution of this ambitious project supervised by the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited.
This ambitious multi-billion USBRL project has undergone tests for the operationalization of commercial train services.
Sources revealed that the railway link could be officially inaugurated this month, contingent on the schedule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Vande Bharat train is set to operate on this railway link, connecting the rest of the country to the Valley.
Among the engineering achievements realized in this project are the world's tallest railway bridge and India's first cable-stayed railway bridge, which have been pivotal in fulfilling the more than 70-year-old vision of a railway connection between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of the nation.
This development is expected to significantly enhance tourism, horticulture, industry, education, and the overall experience of travelers. The Jammu-Srinagar highway frequently faced closures during severe rain or snowfall, necessitating travel through mountainous areas prone to landslides, falling rocks, and earth-caving risks.
