The vigilance directorate, on Friday, recommended a detailed probe by a “specialised agency” into alleged irregularities in the construction of 2,405 classrooms for Delhi government schools, claiming it involved a scam of Rs 1,300 crore.
Delhi government’s vigilance directorate has submitted a report to the chief secretary recommending a probe into “grave irregularities and corruption” in the construction of 2405 classrooms in 193 schools.
In a report sent to Delhi government’s vigilance directorate, dated February 17, 2020, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) highlighted irregularities in the construction of 2,405 classrooms in Delhi government schools by the Public Works Department (PWD). The CVC had seeked comments from Delhi government’s vigilance directorate, in this regard.
The vigilance directorate has further recommended “fixing responsibilities” of the officials concerned of the Education Department and PWD who were involved in the “bungling” to the tune of nearly Rs 1,300 crore.
Back in April 2015, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal directed construction of additional classrooms in Delhi government schools. PWD was entrusted the task of constructing 2405 classrooms in 193 schools. A survey was carried out to find out the requirement of the classrooms and based on the survey, projected a total requirement of 7180 equivalent class rooms (ECR) in 194 schools, almost three times the requirement of 2405 classrooms.
In its report, the vigilance department underlined the role of private persons Babbar and Babbar Associates, who, without being appointed as a consultant, not only attended a crucial meeting in the chamber of the then PWD minister, but also influenced the minister for post-tender changes done in the work contracts in the name of “richer specifications” that resulted into additional financial implications of Rs 205.45 crore. Besides this, several procedural lapses and violation of rules and manuals to tamper with the tender process, were found.
Extra constitutional agencies were running the administration and dictating the terms and conditions to the officers and the entire administration, both at policy level as well as the execution level were implementing such directions of private persons, the vigilance directorate observed in its report.
“Besides being a serious threat to security aspects, this kind of approach will lead to administrative anarchy and chaos,” the report added.
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