Chinese Officials Sacked Over Trash Bridge Scandal

  • 12 years ago
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At least ten officials were sacked over the latest scandal involving China's embattled Railway Ministry. Soaring costs and mounting debt may be leading the Railway Ministry to award building contracts to the lowest bidder without adequately vetting their qualifications.

Chinese state media reported on Monday that the ten officials lost their jobs after it was discovered that sub-contractors tasked with building railway bridges in Jilin Province had mixed gravel and waste materials in with the standard concrete to cut costs.

Experts say mixing the concrete with these additional materials drastically degrades the structural integrity of the structures. Apparently, the main contractor on the $363-million project—China Railway No.9 Group Company—had farmed-out most of the actual construction work to unqualified sub-contractors.

One of the sub-contractors is reported to be run by a former cook with no engineering education or experience. The scandal has forced China's Railway Ministry to order the reconstruction of sixteen piers and two bridges.

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