MEERUT, July 30 -- The Uttar Pradesh government has suspended three senior officials of the Pilibhit zila panchayat after a road, constructed between Manhariya and Chanduiya villages at the cost of Rs.1 crore, crumbled barely two months after completion. Acting on the directions of governor Anandiben Patel, the government suspended additional chief officer Harmik Singh, assistant engineer Kalpana Singh, and junior engineer Gopal Babu on Monday, citing gross negligence, serious misconduct and dereliction of duty. Orders have also been issued to file an FIR against the contractor responsible for the shoddy construction. The deterioration captured in viral videos shows the road's surface peeling off like a thin crust. The 1.75-km road, constructed between December 2024 and January 2025, reportedly began disintegrating after unseasonal rains in March. Local villagers shared videos on social media in May, showing how the road's surface could be scraped off with bare hands or shovels, exposing loose gravel and potholes. The footage triggered widespread public outrage and forced authorities to act.A state government investigation, led by superintendent engineer Praveen Kumar, revealed serious lapses in construction standards. The premix carpet (PC) and seal coat, essential for road durability, were found to be of substandard quality. The probe also exposed that Harmik Singh released payments to the contractor without mandatory site verification, while the AE and JE neglected their supervisory duties, allowing the use of inferior materials and flouting construction norms.Special secretary Rajesh Kumar Tyagi directed the district administration to take action against the contractor, with official letters sent to the district panchayat chairperson Daljeet Kaur and district magistrate Gyanendra Singh. Temporary repairs ordered in May by the district panchayat proved ineffective as the road deteriorated again, prompting further scrutiny. "Three officials of the zila panchayat have been suspended following the orders of the state government. An FIR will also be registered against the contractor who carried out substandard quality of road construction work," the DM said. While the chairperson confirmed the suspensions, she now faces allegations of misusing public funds. Complaints submitted to the state government accuse her of diverting Rs.18 lakh to construct an RCC road inside her private college, spending Rs.27 lakh from the panchayat budget on a drainage system for her private farm, and facilitating Rs.24 lakh payment for a private vehicle falsely registered as a panchayat-owned asset. However, she has denied all allegations. Meanwhile, suspended AMA Harmik Singh claimed to have submitted a written explanation to government in his defence.htc...