CHENNAI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered two cases against retired Southern Railway engineers and private contractors for alleged irregularities in the construction of minor bridges and reinforced cement concrete (RCC) retaining walls as part of the broad-gauge railway project linking Madurai with Tuticorin. The alleged irregularities are estimated to have caused a loss of about Rs 4.01 crore to the Railways.The cases, registered by the CBI’s Anti-Corruption Branch in Madurai, relate to work executed between Milavittan and Melamarudur railway stations in Tuticorin district during 2016-17. The accused include retired deputy chief engineer Muhammed Salaiya, retired executive engineer William Jai, contractor Y Chinna Reddy and M Sulochana, a private individual from Madurai.The Railway Board had sought permission to investigate five Southern Railway officials in connection with the alleged irregularities. However, the then railway minister granted permission to investigate only two retired officials – Salaiya and Jai – while denying permission to proceed against three others – former chief engineer Thavamani Pandi, former deputy chief engineer R Nandagopal and former executive engineer M Ganesh.In the first case, the CBI has alleged that Salaiya, while serving as deputy chief engineer in the construction division in Madurai, entered into a criminal conspiracy with contractor Y Chinna Reddy to construct two minor bridges instead of one, without obtaining prior approval from the competent authority. The two bridges were completed in July 2017 at a cost of Rs 3.59 crore, but a proposal seeking approval for the two bridges was initiated only in May 2019, nearly two years after their completion. The deviation from the approved plan allegedly caused a loss of Rs 2.57 crore to the Railways.The second case concerns the construction of RCC (reinforced cement concrete) retaining walls along the railway line. The CBI has alleged that Salaiya and Jai conspired with contractor Sulochana to execute the work without following railway procedures, causing a loss of about Rs 1.44 crore. The retaining walls were built before the bridge work, resulting in inadequate width and the subsequent earth formation buried the retaining walls, rendering them useless, according to the FIR.
