Khalilabad–Bahraich Rail Project: Serious Questions Raised from Soil Quality to Tender Disputes and Financial Mess
The complete details regarding soil and blanket work in the new Khalilabad–Bahraich rail line project will now come to light! Whether it is the quality of the soil or the quality and thickness of blanket work, the L-section or the Original Ground Level (OGL) and Natural Ground Level (NGL)—every record, every measurement, and every sample must be investigated. The approved drawings, level books, actual site conditions, and paid quantities must be cross-checked. After all, the railway track on the ground needs to be strong, not just on paper!
There should be a complete account of how much soil arrived, how it arrived, from where it arrived, what its quality was, how much was spread, and how much was compacted. Such a mess has been created regarding the soil in the Khalilabad–Bahraich rail line that the positions of several officials are shaking, and the tongues of many contractors are tied!
Now there is only one demand—open the level books, match the vehicle slips, and calculate. How much soil was on the ground and how much did it become on paper? Because it is a game of soil, the excavation of accounts is necessary here before the foundation!
According to information received from some railway officials during a special interaction, the quantity of soil was allegedly reduced first and later increased again through adjustment. If this has happened, it is a matter of serious investigation as to on what basis changes were made to the original approved quantity, revised quantity, and payable quantity of the soil, which official approved it, and whether the actual site measurements support this.
The demand is that the original and revised BOQs, level books, chainage-wise earthwork records, measurement books, and payment bills should be independently cross-checked, and the role and accountability of the concerned officials should be determined. Until the factual physical investigation of this alleged adjustment is completed, consideration should be given to halting payments for suspicious items as per the rules.
Many videos are available on social media in which the level of fields far and wide around the Khalilabad–Bahraich rail line appears almost uniform. In such a situation, it is natural for questions to arise as to what the actual records of OGL and NGL say and on what basis the quantity of earthwork was determined.
If the natural level of the fields is almost equal somewhere, then the original survey, level book, L-section, cross-section, thickness of soil filling, and paid quantity should be matched at the concerned chainage. The available videos are not proof of irregularities in themselves, but they can serve as important indicators for investigation. The actual situation of every chainage should come to light, records should be independently investigated, and the account of the quantity of soil should be made public—only then will the truth be revealed!
In the Khalilabad-Bahraich new rail line project, after the original tender, two open tenders and one Special Limited Tender (SLT) have been floated. One tender was awarded to a firm from Ranchi in August, while an open tender will open on 22.10.2026 and the SLT on 28.10.2026. According to reliable sources, the previous contractor was terminated when, just about a month prior, they were awarded non-schedule (NS) items worth around twenty crore rupees, for which fifty lakh rupees allegedly went to the concerned construction officials and twenty-five lakh rupees to the accounts officials.
Sources say that despite such a massive deal and the tender being terminated without any prior notice, the enraged contractor entered the concerned Chief Engineer’s chamber, not only hurling severe abuses but also slapping him two or four times. However, #Railwhispers does not verify this incident. But if this actually happened, it is highly shameful. This lends credence to discussions that a massive foul play has taken place in this project. To be continued