Sambalpur: Corruption in Lakshmi Bus Stop Construction in Sambalpur; Old Shelters Just Repainted with ‘Lakshmi’ Logo, Funds Misused
Old Shelters Repainted Instead of Building New Ones
Sambalpur: Major irregularities have surfaced in the construction of Lakshmi Bus Stops in Sambalpur district. The previous BJD government had introduced the Lakshmi Bus Service to improve rural transportation, promising modern bus stops in different villages. The plan included a standard design for all stops, featuring a glassy board with the “Lakshmi” logo.
However, in rural areas of Sambalpur, instead of constructing new bus stops, authorities simply repainted existing ones and added the “Lakshmi” logo. In contrast, neighboring districts built proper waiting areas following government guidelines. But in Sambalpur, passengers still lack proper shelters to wait for buses.
Project Delays and Fake Completion Reports
The government aimed to construct 128 Lakshmi Bus Stops in the district. After the elections, new Rural Development Minister Rabinarayan Naik reviewed the project on June 25, when reports stated that 51 bus stops were completed, 7 were under construction, and 70 had not even started. Now, eight months later, official documents claim that all work has been completed. However, on-ground inspections reveal a different reality. In places like Huma (Maneswar block) and Rengali (Redhakhol block), not a single new bus stop has been built. Instead, old shelters were merely repainted with a blue-green color, and the Lakshmi logo was added.
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Huge Financial Mismanagement
For these so-called “new” bus stops, each logo repainting cost only Rs. 1,000, yet the official bill was inflated to Rs. 50,000 per stop. Despite the government allocating Rs. 5.32 lakh per bus stop, most received only minimal upgrades. Large sums were spent, but the work was of poor quality. In various blocks, the distribution of bus stops was as follows: Dhankauda (10), Maneswar (6), Rengali (14), Jujumura (15), Redhakhol (14), Naktideul (18), Kuchinda (16), Bamra (15), and Jamankira (20). However, instead of proper construction, the old stops were simply repainted, raising concerns about mismanagement and corruption.
Demand for a High-Level Investigation
There is growing public demand for an investigation into these irregularities. When asked, Sambalpur Regional Transport Officer Ramdas Tudu responded that bus stop construction is under OSRTC’s control, and his department only monitors bus routes and related facilities.
With millions of rupees spent on substandard work, local residents are demanding strict action and proper utilization of government funds.
