Congress alleges corruption in Delhi CCTV project, AAP denies charge

The Congress' Delhi unit on Monday termed the Delhi government's CCTV project a "big scam", and accused the ruling AAP of citing its fight with Lt Governor Anil Baijal to cover the delay in its implementation. The AAP denied the charges as "frivolous".

"The Aam Aadmi Party government's project to install CCTV cameras in Delhi was a big scam and to cover this up, the AAP government has made its quarrels with the LG the reason," said Congress' Delhi President Ajay Maken.

Noting that approval was given on October 13, 2015 for a Rs 130 crore project to install CCTV cameras in Delhi and a tender floated in November 2017, which received two bids, one of which was successful, he said this tender was subsequently cancelled.

On February 6, approval was given for a fresh tender for the same project with modified conditions, with the project outlay now Rs 571.40 crore, out of which 44 per cent, that is Rs 250 crore, was set apart for their maintenance, Maken added.

Quoting the minutes of Expenditure Finance Committee dated April 5, Maken said: "As per the minutes, the detailed approval and action plan was to be submitted before the Cabinet regarding the installation of CCTV cameras in Delhi... then how was the tender of Rs 571.40 crore cleared by the PWD."

This indicates "a big scam", he added.

Responding to allegations, AAP chief spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj, in a series of tweets, said that the "CCTV tender has been won by lowest bidder which is a Central government PSU called BEL" and asked "how will any tender conditions lead to corruption?"

He also blamed the BJP and the Congress for creating hurdles in the AAP government's work.

"When the CCTV project is finally about to be executed by a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU), Maken is planted by the BJP to halt this work. Whenever AAP Govt is working towards public welfare scheme, BJP will create hurdles through IAS officers and LG... Delhi Congress is team B of BJP," he tweeted.

--IANS

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