Details of total road scams in India / भारत में कुल सड़क घोटालों का विवरण

 Overview of Major Road Scams in IndiaIndia, 

a developing nation, relies heavily on its road infrastructure as the backbone of its economy. Since independence, billions of rupees have been spent on road construction, but corruption has severely plagued this sector. Road scams not only drain the public exchequer but also endanger lives and property. Issues like potholes, collapsing bridges, and substandard construction have become commonplace. 

According to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), approximately 40% of infrastructure project budgets are siphoned off due to corruption. A World Bank study estimates annual losses of billions of dollars in the road sector due to corrupt practices. This essay delves into the details of major road scams in India, their causes, impacts, and potential solutions. 

Collectively, these scams have caused losses worth lakhs of crores, hindering the nation’s progress.The roots of road scams run deep. Political interference is the primary cause. Local MLAs and MPs often favor contractors linked to their caste or kinship. A study reveals that 4% of funds under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) are misused due to this. Contractors use substandard materials, inflate bills, and pay commissions.

 Lack of oversight, weak legal processes, and the L1 (lowest bid) system are also culpable. In the L1 system, contractors bid low to secure contracts but later compromise on quality. A 2023 CAG report criticized the BharatMala project for design flaws and inflated costs.One of the most infamous road scams is the Mumbai BMC Road Scam.

 Between 2015 and 2016, ₹1,700 crore was misappropriated in the construction of 234 roads under the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Contractors used poor-quality bitumen, causing roads to crumble during monsoons. Six contractors—KR Construction, J Kumar Infraprojects, RPS Infraprojects, RK Madhani, Mahavir Infraprojects, and Relcon Infraprojects—were implicated, having secured ₹4,259 crore in contracts between 2012 and 2015. Investigations revealed collusion by third-party auditors SGS and IRS. Of 169 BMC officials, 56 were found guilty, though penalties were reduced on appeal.

 This scam has led to millions of hours wasted in Mumbai’s traffic jams annually.Northeastern states have seen rampant road scams. A 2013 BJP report alleged a ₹58,000 crore scam in road construction during Congress rule in the Northeast. This included the Manipur Road Construction Scam, Sikkim PMGSY Scam, and a ₹2,300 crore project in Meghalaya. 

In 2024, the Meghalaya government initiated a probe into the Shillong-Tura road project, where nine individuals, including engineers and contractors from Telangana and Haryana, were named. Despite fund disbursements, roads remain incomplete.

 In Manipur, the Loktak Lake cleaning-linked road scam saw crores embezzled. These scams have crippled connectivity in tribal areas, stalling economic growth.Maharashtra has witnessed a surge in road scams in recent years. In 2024, Congress accused the BJP of a ₹10,903 crore road scam. The Pune Ring Road project’s cost was doubled, and two companies received four packages each. 

Expenditure exceeded NHAI norms by 100%. In 2025, Aditya Thackeray demanded an EOW probe, alleging tender process corruption. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) manipulated guidelines to inflate tunnel work costs, causing losses exceeding ₹10,000 crore.In Bihar, the road department is a hub of corruption. In 2025, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha accused Tejashwi Yadav of a ₹26.16 crore scam. 

In Gaya Division, three roads saw illegal payments to Raja Construction, with bills passed for unprocured stone chips from Jharkhand. The RJD dismissed the allegations, but investigations continue. Bridge collapses are frequent in Bihar—21 bridges fell between 2021 and 2024, many due to poor construction. 

A CAG report noted that 10% of bridge collapses result from substandard materials.In West Bengal, a 2023 India Today investigation exposed a road scam in a TMC-ruled panchayat. Funds of ₹33 lakh for a concrete road and ₹7 lakh for a brick soling road were withdrawn, but no construction was found on-site. 

The panchayat submitted a false affidavit to the Kolkata High Court, claiming verification by the DM. This led to a ₹70 lakh embezzlement. Road scams in Bengal are linked to coal smuggling and teacher recruitment frauds.Nationally, PMGSY faces significant political corruption. A 2017 ScienceDirect study found that roads built by MLA-connected contractors are 86% more likely to disappear. Of 4,127 contracts, 1,900 involved interference, causing a $540 million (₹4,500 crore) loss.

 In 2000, 3.3 lakh villages lacked connectivity; corruption has left 8.57 lakh people isolated. The CAG criticized BharatMala’s suboptimal specifications in 2023, like the Dwarka Expressway design.The financial impact is staggering. Wikipedia estimates a $462 billion (₹38 lakh crore) loss from illicit flows since 1948. The road sector alone loses ₹1-2 lakh crore annually. 

In 2024, cyber scams cost ₹11,333 crore, but infrastructure scams surpass this. A KPMG report warns that high-level corruption derails the economy. Social impacts include the 2025 Gambhira Bridge collapse in Gujarat, killing 13. Between 1977 and 2017, 2,130 bridges collapsed. Rural poverty rises due to unbuilt roads, limiting market access. Environmental damage increases from substandard construction-related pollution.

Key causes include political pressure. A UNODC report recommends bringing PPP project partners under RTI. An EY study labels infrastructure as the most corrupt sector. The L1 system compromises quality, and maintenance is neglected post-construction.

Solutions include enhancing transparency via e-tendering and GPS tracking, adopting quality-based selection, stricter laws with special courts under the PCA, whistleblower protection, and training engineers in anti-corruption measures. Empowering agencies like the CAG and involving civil society are crucial.

In conclusion, road scams are a major obstacle to India’s development. Losses worth lakhs of crores and thousands of lives are at stake. The government must implement urgent reforms, or the “highway to hell” warning will materialize. Transparency and accountability are key to building robust infrastructure. (Word count: 1028)