By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 6 Jan: A major controversy has surfaced in the Dehradun Municipal Corporation after serious irregularities were detected in the tender list for development works. Dehradun Municipal Commissioner Namami Bansal has halted the entire tendering process related to development works and has ordered a comprehensive physical verification of all proposed projects. The decision follows an internal probe that confirmed multiple discrepancies in the list, raising questions over the planning and execution of civic works across the city.
It may be recalled that the irregularities had surfaced in respect of the tenders after inconsistencies were found in the tender list issued for various development projects. An inquiry revealed that several works had been erroneously included, with some projects already having been completed by other departments and others previously executed by the Municipal Corporation itself. In view of these findings, a blanket stay has been imposed on all development tenders until the verification process is completed.
Speaking informally to the media persons, Namami Bansal confirmed that an inquiry committee has been constituted to carry out a detailed physical inspection of every project included in the tender list. She added that the tendering process will resume only after a thoroughly verified and corrected list of works is submitted. The controversy had emerged in the wake of a tender list released last week for development works proposed under the Mayor’s quota across all 100 municipal wards. Several councillors had objected to the list, alleging disparity in the allocation of funds, pointing out that while most wards were allotted works worth Rs 20 to 22 lakh, certain wards were shown to have projects amounting to Rs 70 to 80 lakh.
As complaints over the unequal distribution intensified, Mayor Saurabh Thapliyal and the Municipal Commissioner took cognisance of the matter and ordered an investigation. The probe committee subsequently found that multiple works had been wrongly listed, including projects that had already been completed by other agencies or undertaken earlier by the Municipal Corporation.
Among the projects found to have been re-tendered despite these issues were CC road construction from Shiv Mandir to Samir Pundir’s house in Chalank village in Ward 4, painting and repair of a park near the railway crossing in Saraswati Vihar in Ward 52, pipe laying and road construction in Mohabbewala in Ward 90, CC road and drain construction in Subhash Nagar and Krishna Vihar in Ward 79, culvert and road construction in Mianwala Buransh Kunj Colony in Ward 68, and the construction of a community hall in Kedarpur and Kunj Vihar in Ward 83.
Bansal said the inquiry committee is currently engaged in ground-level verification of each and every work proposed under the Mayor’s fund. She said geo-tagged photographs depicting the actual site condition will be taken before the commencement of any work, and a final photograph will be attached to the file after completion to ensure transparency and accountability. She added that the existing status of all proposals is being examined to remove inconsistencies and that anomalies such as duplication of works have already come to light. She assured that responsibility will be fixed for these lapses and appropriate action will be taken. The administrative process, she said, will move forward only after the physical verification is concluded and a fresh, accurate and error-free list of development works is prepared.
