Audit Exposes ‘Calamitous’ Rs 1.5 Billion Waste in State Road Projects

A damning internal investigation by the National Audit Office (NAO) has exposed a “systemic failure” in the management of Mauritius’s public infrastructure, revealing that Rs 1.5 billion has been squandered on projects that are now stalled or abandoned.

The confidential ‘reference sheet’, dated 13 January 2026 and obtained following a broadcast on Info Soirée, paints a portrait of a “build first, ask later” culture.

The report accuses the Ministry of National Infrastructure and the Road Development Authority (RDA) of bypassing financial laws, ignoring environmental protections, and overseeing cost overruns of up to 97%.

Rs 1.5bn Spent on ‘Projects to Nowhere’

Between 2022 and 2025, the government allocated Rs 8.6bn to roadworks, with Rs 7.76bn spent across 48 projects.

However, the audit reveals that four major projects were launched without any prior financial authorisation:

• Motorway M5 (Consultancy)
• New Britannia – Rivière-des-Anguilles Road (Costing Rs 990 million alone)
• M2 Flyover at Labourdonnais
• Cavendish Bridge at Ville-Noire

All four have been suspended due to “budgetary constraints” after nearly Rs 1.5 billion was already paid out, primarily in consultancy fees.

The NAO described this as a “calamitous management of public funds” caused by a total absence of budgetary control.

Spectacular Cost Overruns

Of the 48 projects audited, 19 saw their budgets explode by a combined Rs 1.31 billion. The report highlights three “striking” examples of fiscal indiscipline:

• Motorway M5 Consultancy: +97% over budget.
• B28 Road (Lot 3) Beau Champs-Bel Air: +81% over budget.
• Julius Nyerere Avenue (B1) & Link Road: +43% over budget.

These hikes were attributed to unauthorized changes in scope and labor cost adjustments that violated the Public Procurement Act.

Environmental and Safety Risks

In a move that auditors say poses a “major risk to public safety,” several massive structures were built without an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), in breach of the Environment Act 2024.

The audit warns that these “illegal” builds create high risks for flooding and structural safety.

Furthermore, technical designs were changed mid-construction without official approval—such as replacing a bridge with a hydraulic tunnel on the Flic-en-Flac bypass—leaving legal responsibility for potential failures “unassigned.”

The ‘Ghost’ Infrastructure

The NAO flagged a “troubling” administrative void: multiple roads are currently open to the public but have never been formally handed over to the State.

This oversight means the national infrastructure register is incomplete, compromising the transparency of how public assets are tracked.

Rs 546m Cycle Path “Mystery”

The government spent Rs 546 million to include 31.4km of cycle paths across 13 projects. However, the audit found:

• No evaluation of actual usage.
• No monitoring of road safety.
• No survey of citizen satisfaction.The report concludes that “no one knows” if this half-billion-rupee investment has provided any real benefit.

A Systemic Failure

The NAO stated these are not isolated blunders but a symptom of a deeper crisis, citing a “culture of regularisation after the fact” and a total lack of coordination between ministries.

It noted that similar warnings in the 2023-24 audit regarding junctions like Pont-Fer and Jumbo were ignored, with payments to consultants still in limbo.

The NAO’s Urgent Recommendations:

1. Secure all land and permits before a single brick is laid.
2. Implement the Strategic Road Network Masterplan.
3. Establish post-project evaluations for safety and public benefit.

Audit Report:

The report warns that unless sanctions are introduced, the State remains exposed to billions in further losses and “major legal uncertainties.”

Source: Defi Media