'Cracks' appear in flyover panel

The seriousness of the government in probing into the collapse of the scaffoldings at the under-construction flyover at Punjagutta last Sunday is evidenced by the fact that the officer named to head the probe is yet to submit his report on an incident that took place in June this year. K Siva Reddy, engineer-in-chief, roads and buildings department, is the officer heading the five-member experts' committee that was asked to submit its report on the Punjagutta collapse by the coming Friday. However, till Tuesday night, none of the members had visited the mishap site. Siva Reddy, who is away in New Delhi, told TOI that he and his team would visit the flyover site on Wednesday. In fact, Siva Reddy was named as the inquiry officer to examine the Muslim Jung parallel bridge in Old City in which some cracks had developed in the third week of June. Inauguration of the bridge which was to be opened for public in July was put on hold because of the cracks. According to sources, Siva Reddy was directed to investigate the matter in August this year. "However, till date, no report is forthcoming. On the contrary, seven engineers who had been suspended for the cracks that appeared in the Muslim Jung Bridge have since been reinstated," an official told TOI. Interestingly, Mahesh Tandon, who is one of the consultants for the Punjagutta flyover and is alleged to have failed to conduct checks at the flyover site, was a member of the technical committee that was appointed before Siva Reddy to probe the cracks in the Muslim Jung Bridge. Sources said the seven engineers were reinstated in their jobs due to pressure from some quarters. Of these, five belong to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation while two are on deputation. After the Punjagutta collapse, the government had suspended three GHMC engineers. If the Muslim Jung bridge incident is any indication, then both the appointment of experts' committee as well as suspension of the engineers will also end up as a mere eyewash.