CAG reveals MCD’sunnecessary expenditures

NEW DELHI: A report submitted by Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) at the Delhi assembly, revealed some astonishing facts. According to CAG report, lack of scientific methods in road construction led to unnecessary expenditures in projects.

Report stated that to strengthen roads in Okhla Industrial Area Phase I and II, roads were constructed by cement at an extra cost of Rs 1.36 crore instead of constructing by bitumen. Accident-prone roads were constructed at DeraBhati since trees were not removed.

In the CAG report, it was found that the contractor was asked to transfer a new vehicle of at least 1800 CC — along with fuel, maintenance, driver, etc — to the South Corporation after completion of the project. “This was not justified as it amounts to buying a car through the contractor to avoid the approval of the competent authority.”

Some lapses the CAG pointed to include:

• According to CAG report, the construction of an overbridge at Bijwasan lead to an extra payment of Rs 8.33 crore to the contractor because of structural changes made at last stage. “It indicates that technical sanctions were not based on adequate data,” the report said.
• No justification or approval of the competent authority was found for items, worth Rs 2.38 crore, like designer wall tiles, a vehicle for MCD staff etc, during construction of the grade separator at Pankha Road.
• No entry was made in the register regarding, two computers worth Rs 1.2 lakh which were obtained as extra items from the contractor. “South DMC did not explain why the entries of these were not made in stock register,” the report said.
• For the improvement of Tigri road from MB road to DurgaVihar, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation awarded construction work in December, using ready mix concrete at a cost of Rs 29.96 crore. Due to delayed work, constructor had to pay interest. As of October 2017, an amount of Rs 1.07 crore was lying unrecovered.
• The East corporation awarded construction work of storm water drain and footpath along railway overbridge on Shahdara-Saharanpur Railway line in January 2010 at a cost of Rs 6.44 crore. While the work was in progress, it awarded another contract for strengthening it for Rs 4.09 crore in February 2012 at a cost of Rs 3.38 crore, the report stated. “Necessity of strengthening of a road just after its construction is questionable, which resulted in unwarranted expenditure of Rs 3.38 crore,” report said.

In reply to raised questions overnon-maintenance of records and history sheet of roads, the South and North corporation spokespersons said they are waiting for the report to arrive after which they will ask the departments concerned to explain the lapses.