NEW DELHI: A recent report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has revealed that, despite spending nearly Rs 60 crore, no actual progress has been made on the construction of hospitals, clinics, and old age homes in Delhi.
The health and social welfare departments acquired multiple plots of land for these projects, but after more than a decade, the land remains vacant, depriving underprivileged populations of essential healthcare and social support.
The CAG's audit highlighted at least 15 instances of mismanagement in the health department, which resulted in Rs 57 crore worth of projects lying idle even after 12 years.
In nine cases, the department paid a total of Rs 51.5 crore to land-owning agencies for land between January 2012 and March 2015. However, it took up to three years for the department to even begin the process of acquiring the land, citing delays in communication with the agencies.
In another six cases, the health department allocated Rs 4.85 crore to the Public Works Department (PWD) between 2012 and 2015 for the construction of polyclinics. Despite this, the department never followed up on the payment status, leading to a halt in the process.
Only in 2022 did the PWD receive a single payment, and the government has promised to make regular follow-ups to resolve the situation.
Due to the lack of coordination between the health department and PWD, none of the allotted plots have been used for health facilities, even though they have been in the department's possession for up to 15 years. This negligence has left Delhi's residents without much-needed medical services.
“The government was unable to utilise any of the lands for establishing hospitals and dispensaries, despite having them in its possession for periods ranging between six to 15 years… the lackadaisical approach of the department led to idling of plots meant for augmentation of healthcare facilities at various locations of Delhi, thereby depriving people of Delhi of the much-needed medical facilities,” the CAG report observed.
The Social Welfare Department (DSW) faced similar delays in constructing Old Age Homes (OAHs). Despite acquiring plots of land at Sarita Vihar, Chhattarpur, and Geeta Colony in 2013, the construction of these homes never began.
The DSW failed to pursue the project effectively, submitting incomplete or rejected plans and drawings, leading to a loss of Rs 2.92 crore. The delay has denied elderly and infirm residents of Delhi the social support they desperately need.
“The delay in construction of these OAHs can be attributed to a lack of DSW's pursuance towards the construction of OAHs in Delhi. The delay in construction of OAHs denied the needy and poor senior citizens of Delhi the much-needed social support, despite incurring expenditure to the tune of 2.92 crore,” the auditors commented.