NEW DELHI: In a bid to tighten administrative control, the Public Works Department (PWD) Secretariat has directed senior engineers not to make any changes to transfer and posting orders of department officials without prior approval.
The move comes after several instances surfaced in which transfer and posting directives were reportedly modified by the Engineering Wing without the Secretariat’s consent.
In a recent order, the Secretariat made it clear that all transfer-related decisions will henceforth rest solely with the PWD Secretariat, warning that any deviation would invite disciplinary action.
“It has come to the notice of the PWD Secretariat that in few cases of transfer/posting were unauthorisedly modified by the Engineering Wing without prior approval of the competent authority. This action leads to serious violation of the directives of PWD Secretariat,” the directive stated.
"All transfer/posting orders issued by the PWD Secretariat shall be implemented in letter and spirit in time bound manner. No modification, alteration, or deferment shall be made at any level without the explicit written approval of the PWD Secretariat," it added.
The directive said that if there are genuine administrative difficulties or exceptional circumstances requiring reconsideration of any order, the same should be brought to the notice of the Secretariat in writing as per procedure, along with proper justification, for appropriate decisions.
According to officials, transfer and posting disputes are not uncommon within the department. A large section of engineers serve the PWD on deputation from the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), where tenure-based transfers occur periodically. Many officers seek extensions or reposting within Delhi which leading to internal pressures and irregular adjustments.
"However, the order was prompted by complaints that some senior engineers had overstepped their authority by making unauthorized changes to transfer lists. In one particular case, modifications were made to the Secretariat’s approved divisions," an official familiar with the matter said.
“The Secretariat had to issue a formal warning because this practice was becoming a recurring issue,” said another official.