Gangtok, Sept. 20: The Comptroller and Auditor General?s annual report has criticised the roads and bridges department for mismanagement of funds and indecision over construction of an airport in Pakyong.
The report states that this has resulted in ?avoidable delay? which has harmed the growth of tourism in the state.
The report also accused the department of misinforming the Centre on expenditure issues. It alleged that unutilised funds were diverted to another department.
According to the report, on the recommendations made by the 10th Finance Commission, the state had received Rs 3 crore from the Centre between 1997 and 2002 for construction of an airfield near Gangtok.
The state government had subsequently engaged a consultancy firm to prepare a feasibility report and master plan for the proposed airfield. The firm, after surveying various sites, recommended one near Pakyong. Residents opposed the move to construct the airfield at the spot, leading the state government to ask the firm to prepare a feasibility report of another site it had surveyed in Karthok.
The firm categorically stated that the site was unsuitable, but was asked to prepare a master plan for the same. The state government eventually paid the consultant Rs 20 lakh for reports submitted for both sites between 1996 and 1999.
Despite incurring such heavy expenses in conducting this exercise, the idea of building an airfield eventually fell through.
In 2000, the state government, in consultation with the Centre, decided to construct seven helipads in the state and renovate the one in Gangtok instead of building an airport. The Airports Authority of India was engaged as consultant and asked to prepare feasibility reports and supervise construction work for a fee of Rs 35 lakh.
By the end of 2002, the department had already incurred a cost of Rs 2.98 crore. Part of the funds were also diverted to the state tourism development corporation and for building a helipad at Lachung, which was later abandoned after objections were raised by the army.
