Above Rs. 100cr road projects under CVC lenses

Mumbai : Ensuring complete transparency and corruption free highway building, the road transport ministry is all set to bring road projects involving more than Rs. 100cr investments under the Chief Vigilance Commission (CVC) scanner and it is currently in the process of directing the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to enter into an integrity pact with CVC. The newly chalked out strategy will commit NHAI to refrain from corrupt practices during any stage of project formulation including bidding and implementation besides not to award contracts to parties that have previously engaged in corrupt practices during their dealing with any other department or organization.

Ministry sources said that NHAI awards and oversees the implementation of projects worth Rs. 1,00,000cr per year and government is going all out ensuring greater stress on corruption free environs in the highway building.

The pact draft is reportedly awaiting transport minister's approval and once it is cleared the ministry will appoint two independent external monitors (IEMs) with proven integrity, as they are being entrusted with the responsibility to look into complaints regarding procurements, tenders and bids, as such, their names will have to be cleared by the CVC.