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Primorye governor punishes officials for road construction project negligence

Director of the regional road construction department Andrei Razgonov had been fired while the head of the Gosarkhstroinadzor had been reprimanded

VLADIVOSTOK, June 25 (Itar-Tass) — Primorye governor Vladimir Miklushevsky said the officials who failed to ensure proper control over the construction of the Sedanka-Patrokl highway in the runup to the APEC summit have been punished. Part of the highway collapsed earlier this month due to negligence and violation during construction works.

Miklushevsky said director of the regional road construction department Andrei Razgonov had been fired while the head of the Gosarkhstroinadzor had been reprimanded. The highway collapsed due to flaws in design and violations during construction works, the governor said. For example, the high gabion walls formed of separate nets and stones deformed under their own weight; also, the builders failed to properly install the drainage system.

The regional leader said all the designs using gabion structures would be checked in the near future.

On June 12, the rains that lasted for two days, eroded part of the Sedanka-Patrokl highway. A ground cave-in damaged the highway on the stretch near Tikhaya Bay, and blocked and damaged property of a local garage cooperative.

Regional investigators opened a criminal case under the penal code article on "violation of safety rules during construction works, which resulted in large damage by negligence."

The investigators said the supporting wall had collapsed because of the erosion caused by rains and lack of drainage system. They are ascertaining the culprits behind the damage estimated to reach over 1.7 million roubles.

Repairs works on the damaged stretch of the road are to be completed within the next few days. The new garages for the car owners whose property was damaged or destroyed by the mudslide will be put up in four to three months. In all, 18 new garages will be built.

The Novy village -- De Friz peninsula -- Sedanka -- Patrokl bay bridge overpass will link the airport and town and together with the bridges across Zolotoi Rog Bay and Eastern Bosphoros /Bosfor Vostochny/ Strait will become the backbone of the transport infrastructure of the regional center, Vladivostok. The highway is to be commissioned in early July. The project, worth over 28 billion roubles, is funded from the federal budget.