CAG highlights irregular expenditure in PWD

The Comptroller and Auditor General report on compliance audit of Delhi government's Public Works Department (PWD) has red-flagged expenditures worth crores of rupees.

The report highlighted irregular expenditure of Rs 1.64 crore in violation of contract agreements of works executed by PWD during 2013-15. The matter was referred to the government in August 2015 and reply is awaited.

The failure of the department to carry out proper feasibility study before awarding work of installing escalators across Ring Road at Shalimar Bagh resulted in unfruitful expenditure of Rs 95.15 lakh, it said.

The audit found that installation of the escalators was withheld on the ground that the proposed site was infested with anti-social elements and there was apprehension of theft and vandalizing of the facility. Consequently, the escalators alongwith all components were lying idle at Mukarba Chowk.

A case of wasteful expenditure was noticed during the audit, due to failure of PWD to provide clear site for construction of a school.

The work for construction of semi pucca classrooms and other structures at Senior Secondary School of Bhati Mines with an estimated cost of Rs 4.01 crore, was awarded in January 2014. However, the construction was stopped as the land on which it was going on was a part of the wildlife sanctuary.

Foreclosure of the work resulted in a wasteful expenditure of Rs 72.32 lakh, the report said.

An Inadmissible payment of Rs 8.54 crore was pointed out by the CAG report where in PWD had awarded in February 2009, work of resurfacing of various roads at a tendered cost of Rs 17.68 crore. The work was completed on January 2012 and final payment of Rs 20.07 crore was made in November 2014.

The report also mentioned an avoidable expenditure of Rs 1.71 crore due to injudicious decision of PWD to go for higher specification of paver blocks on an area which was to be used for parking of vehicles, from Ghevra Mor to GT Road.