Meghalaya orders probe into Rs 23 billion road project scam

22 Oct 2024 CW Team

The Meghalaya government has initiated a police investigation into a multi-billion scam involving state engineers and contractors linked to a major road construction project, officials confirmed on Monday. An FIR has named nine individuals, including senior government engineers and officials from two private companies based in Telangana and Haryana.

A senior Public Works Department (PWD) official revealed that "several lapses" led to the filing of the FIR regarding the project, valued at over Rs 23 billion. The road project, connecting Shillong to Tura via Nongstoin and Rongjeng, was initially sanctioned in 2010 under the Special Road Development Programme-North East.

The original contract, awarded for Rs 13.03 billion, underwent multiple revisions, inflating the project cost to Rs 23.66 billion. Although the project was scheduled for completion in 2014, delays and cost escalations prompted further scrutiny.

The FIR, filed by PWD (National Highways) Chief Engineer AM Kharmawphlang, is based on findings from ongoing arbitration proceedings conducted by an Arbitral Tribunal. The arbitration was initiated after the private companies sought revisions to the contract, which the department declined.

The FIR alleges that government engineers and contractors conspired to manipulate records and engage in fraudulent practices, resulting in significant financial losses to the public exchequer. "Officials and engineers, in collusion with contractors, have engaged in deceit and corruption," it stated, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive police investigation to uncover the full extent of the conspiracy.

A senior police officer confirmed that a case has been registered, and the investigation is underway. (ET)

Infrastructure Urban

05 Nov 2025

TBO Tek Q2 Profit Climbs 12%, Revenue Surges 26% YoY

TBO Tek Limited one of the world’s largest travel distribution platforms, reported a solid performance for Q2 FY26 with a 26 per cent year-on-year increase in revenue to Rs 5.68 billion, reflecting broad-based growth and improving profitability.The company recorded a Gross Transaction Value (GTV) of Rs 8,901 crore, up 12 per cent YoY, driven by strong performance across Europe, MEA, and APAC regions. Adjusted EBITDA before acquisition-related costs stood at Rs 1.04 billion, up 16 per cent YoY, translating into an 18.32 per cent margin compared to 16.56 per cent in Q1 FY26. Profit after tax r..

Northern Graphite, Rain Carbon Secure R&D Grant for Greener Battery Materials

Northern Graphite Corporation and Rain Carbon Canada Inc, a subsidiary of Rain Carbon Inc, have jointly received up to C$860,000 (€530,000) in funding under the Canada–Germany Collaborative Industrial Research and Development Programme to develop sustainable battery anode materials.The two-year, C$2.2 million project aims to transform natural graphite processing by-products into high-performance, battery-grade anode material (BAM). Supported by the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Programme (NRC IRAP) and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs a..

Antony Waste Q2 Revenue Jumps 16%; Subsidiary Wins Rs 3,200 Cr WtE Projects

Antony Waste Handling Cell Limited (AWHCL), a leading player in India’s municipal solid waste management sector, announced a 16 per cent year-on-year increase in total operating revenue to Rs 2.33 billion for Q2 FY26. The growth was driven by higher waste volumes, escalated contracts, and strong operational execution.EBITDA rose 18 per cent to Rs 570 million, with margins steady at 21.6 per cent, while profit after tax stood at Rs 173 million, up 13 per cent YoY. Revenue from Municipal Solid Waste Collection and Transportation (MSW C&T) reached Rs 1.605 billion, and MSW Processing re..