Delhi LG approves land acquisition for Barapullah project, orders inquiry into delay, cost escalation

New Delhi: Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has given nod to acquire a land parcel to complete the Barapullah corridor phase-III project which was delayed by six years, Raj Niwas officials said on Saturday.

According to officials, Saxena has asked the chief secretary to conduct an inquiry into the "erred planning" and "assessment of land requirement" that led to the project delay and cost escalation by Rs 362 crore.

The LG has also directed for the suspension of the project's engineers in charge right from the start of the construction, if yet serving, and initiating suitable action against those who have retired, they said.

The two land parcels measuring 1,169 square metres and 709.9 square metres are located in Nangli Razapur village in the Southeast district of the city. The project was held up due to non-acquisition of these land parcels all these years, the Raj Niwas officials said.

Citing the AAP government's oft-repeated claims that it was saving huge amount of public money by executing PWD projects before time and below the tendered amount, the LG noted that contrary to the claims made by even the chief minister, the government will end up paying Rs 1,326.37 crore for the Barapullah project against the tender amount of Rs 964 crore, they stated.

This amounts to an additional Rs 362.37 crore being paid to the contractor out of the government exchequer, while also delaying the project by over six years, the officials said.

Reacting to Saxena's claims, Delhi government sources said, "it is deeply unfortunate" that despite having all the requisite information concerning the matter, the LG has put up "imputations" against the government.

"It's noteworthy, the project design, approvals and land requirements were all finalised in 2013 under the Sheila Dixit government. The sanction for the project was given in December 2014 during the President's rule by the then LG," they said.

"The Arvind Kejriwal government has always used public exchequer money for the betterment of Delhiites, and is solemnly resolved to do in future," the sources added.

Saxena has noted that sheer negligence on the part of the officers in respect of planning, inspection and field survey of land for the project led to the delay of more than six years, apart from cost overruns running into hundreds of crores, the LG office said.

The LG has also directed the chief secretary to prepare a suitable standard operating procedure (SOP) for lapse-free planning and timely execution of the project, including identification of land and assessing the requisite area for acquisition of land, the officials said.

He asked the chief secretary to submit an action-taken report within 15 days, they added.