Tainted babu was in charge of Varanasi flyover project

LUCKNOW: After tragedy struck PM Narendra Modi's Varanasi parliamentary constituency killing 19 people on Tuesday, office of chief minister Yogi Adityanath has taken serious note of the manner in which Rajan

Mittal

was re-appointed MD of UP Bridge Corporation, which was handling the flyover project.

People look at the vehicles crushed under the flyover
Mittal faced charges of corruption during his stint in the Akhilesh government and had been removed from the post of managing director, UP Bridge Corporation. Months after the BJP government took over, he managed to stage a dramatic comeback. UP government is already drawing flak for failure of PWD to make state roads pothole-free. This is another setback over mishandling of PWD, which is headed by deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.

Speaking to TOI, a senior officer in chief minister's office revealed that Mittal was removed by then chief minister Akhilesh Yadav in November 2016, following complaints. But as soon as Maurya was sworn in deputy chief minister and got the PWD portfolio, Mittal was brought back as MD of UP Bridge Corporation. Not only was Mittal reappointed, Maurya gave him additional charge of

UP Rajkiya Nirman Nigam

and he is holding dual charge. Similarly, deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya is chairman of both corporations. It's principal secretary, PWD, who heads the posts.

A man and a woman inside their car crushed to death under the flyover

In February, Maurya removed then principal secretary, PWD, from the post of chairman of

UPRNN

and got himself anointed to the coveted post. Mittal is also being questioned within Bridge Corporation, not only for his comeback, but for appointing project managers in PM's constituency, who did not have adequate experience.

Local trying to help accident victims