NEW DELHI: The Vigilance Department has submitted a detailed report to the Lokayukta, flagging irregularities by PWD and education officials in the construction of 12,748 classrooms in government-run schools.
Several departments and officials have failed to discharge their duties effectively and in accordance with the rules and regulations, according to the report. Therefore, the matter shall be placed before competent authorities for appropriate disciplinary action, the report said.
As per the CPWD manual, a minimum of 14 days should be given in case of a tender of more than Rs 2 crore. The report, however, stated that in most cases the time frame was limited to 10 days for the bids.
The report said that it can also be noticed a handful of contractors got most of the contracts. The name of Tewatia Construction Pvt Ltd, which has built the bungalow for CM Arvind Kejriwal, is also mentioned in the report.
On the charges against 34 contractors, some of them being workers or relatives of AAP members, it has been observed that the proper procedure to award a contract was not followed. On the role of Manish
Sisodia and former PWD Minister Satyendar Jain, the report said it has been observed that specifications were tweaked after a meeting with architect Babbar & Babbar Associates, costing the state exchequer more.
The department said that it is prima facie evident that detailed estimates, ground work, availability of space, and condition of land were not done.
Citing the report, BJP on Friday alleged that on the instructions of Arvind Kejriwal, 7,180 classrooms were reduced to 4,126 but there was no cut in the budget. The project above Rs 100 crore is brought to the cabinet and then sent to the L-G after dividing into 16 small parts and was launched on October 19, 2015, allegedly at the behest of Kejriwal, BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said.