A major corruption scandal has erupted in the Indian state of Kerala after a flyover built only in 2016 developed dangerous cracks this year and must now be demolished.
Police are reported to have arrested more than 10 people in their investigation, including two civil servants with roles in procuring the bridge, which is reported to have cost around $7m, as well as the managing director of the contractor, and a general manager of the engineering consultant.
Yesterday a judge extended the period of detention on remand for these four for a further two weeks, the Times of India reports.
The flyover, built in the Palarivattom area of the Keralan city of Kochi, was closed to traffic in May this year after large cracks appeared in its pillars and girders.
On Monday this week Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the flyover would have to be demolished and rebuilt, a project that will take a year, reports the Hindustan Times.
In May structural engineering experts from the Indian Institute of Technology found major construction errors, which they said caused the cracking.
Illustration ©GCR, by Denis Carrier
