Wednesday, March 23 2005 10:30 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Government yesterday (Mar 22, 2005) announced an inquiry into the multi-crore Taj Expressway scam.

The announcement was made by Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav in the State Assembly during the Zero Hour, while making a reply on a notice given by Samajwadi Party (SP) member Chote Lal Yadav.

Raising the matter, Chote Lal Yadav said that contract worth crores of Rupees were given to a particular company in violation of rules and regulations and demanded an inquiry into the matter.

The Chief Minister intervened after Speaker Mata Prasad rejected the notice of the member and said that it was a serious matter.

The Government was ready to hold an inquiry if you (Speaker) permit, the Chief Minister said.

As the Speaker concurred, Yadav said that the Government would conduct an inquiry into the scam but did not elaborate.

The Taj Expressway was an ambitious project conceived by the previous Mayawati regime under which a 180-kilometre long state of the art highway was to be built on the eastern bank of the river Yamuna.