23 March 2024 – Hyderabad-based Navayuga Engineering Company Ltd (NEC), the construction firm overseeing the Silkyara-Barkot tunnel project in Uttarakhand, has made headlines after it was revealed to have purchased electoral bonds worth Rs 55 crore and donated the entire sum to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This revelation comes amidst ongoing scrutiny following a portion of the tunnel’s collapse last year.
The incident, which occurred on November 12, 2023, trapped 41 workers until their rescue on November 28, drawing attention to the project’s safety standards and completion timeline. Despite initial clearance in 2018, the Silkyara-Barkot tunnel’s deadline has been extended.
NEC’s involvement in various infrastructural projects, including the Dhola-Sadia Bridge over the Brahmaputra river and the Polavaram Project in Andhra Pradesh, underscores its significance in the construction sector. Moreover, its contribution to critical infrastructure, such as bridges and highways, highlights its role in enhancing connectivity and accessibility across regions.
The Silkyara-Barkot tunnel, designed to facilitate the Char Dham Yatra All Weather Road initiative, aims to improve accessibility to the four pilgrimage sites. However, recent revelations regarding electoral bond donations have sparked concerns about transparency and accountability in political funding.
While the electoral bond scheme was introduced to enhance transparency in political funding, recent legal developments have raised questions about its constitutionality. The Supreme Court’s directive to disclose details of electoral bond transactions has added further scrutiny to the scheme, underscoring the need for robust mechanisms to ensure accountability in political financing.
