Delhi govt's PWD to get separate engineering cadre to accelerate works: CM Gupta

New Delhi: The Delhi Cabinet has approved the creation of a separate engineering cadre within the Public Works Department (PWD) to expedite construction projects and enhance accountability, officials said on Wednesday.

The decision was made at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. With this decision, the Delhi Government will gain the authority to recruit engineers independently and fill vacant posts without delay, said an official statement.

Following the decision, Gupta said the Delhi Government must quickly construct new infrastructure, including a state-of-the-art secretariat, mini-secretariats in all 11 districts, mandis, sports complexes, and other facilities.

She noted that this would only be possible if Delhi had its own engineering cadre. "For the past 30 years, no decision was taken on this critical matter. That is why the Cabinet has now approved the creation of a separate cadre for engineers," she said.

The department's engineering services were entirely dependent on the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) cadre.

At present, the PWD's engineering wing in Delhi comprises 3,214 sanctioned posts across 36 categories, all belonging to the CPWD cadre, with appointments made by the Central government.

This arrangement often slowed down the pace of work under the Delhi government and created challenges in taking timely administrative and developmental decisions, the statement said.

The chief minister announced the formation of a high-level committee to design the structure and functioning of the new cadre.

In the initial phase, CPWD officers willing to join the cadre would be accommodated. If the required strength is not met, alternative recruitment mechanisms will be adopted based on the committee’s recommendations, subject to approval by the competent authority, the statement said.

This will not only make the government self-reliant in engineering services but will also help build a specialised, locally experienced, and long-term committed engineering workforce, the chief minister noted.

"Until now, accountability was not clearly fixed, and in cases of irregularities, engineers often managed to escape responsibility through transfers. That will no longer be the case," she added.

Highlighting that this decision is inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guiding motto of 'reform, perform and transform', she said it represents a major step in reform, as the Delhi government will now create its own institutional framework.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the decision will make the Delhi government more efficient, accountable, and visionary in executing development projects. It is a milestone in strengthening the capital's infrastructure and advancing Delhi's aspiration to become a world-class city, she said.

Gupta also said that this historic step would prove to be a milestone in transforming the national capital into 'Viksit Delhi'.

This move represents a long-awaited structural reform, giving impetus to Delhi's sustainable development and infrastructure projects, she said, adding that this will directly benefit the people.