Delhi CM house renovation: Vigilance dept issues notice to 7 PWD officials

According to the notice, the current bungalow was “disproportionately high” with regard to established norms.

Delhi CM house renovation, Delhi Vigilance dept notice, Delhgi PWD officials, Arvind Kejriwal official residence rennovation, Rs 53 crore on Delhi CM house renovation, indian express, indian express news

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The vigilance department Monday issued a show cause notice to seven Public Works Department (PWD) engineers with regard to alleged wasteful expenditure of almost Rs 53 crore on the renovation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence.

According to the notice from the vigilance department, three PWD officials — Chief Engineer Ashok Kumar Rajdev, Executive Engineer Vinay Chaudhary and Superintendent Engineer Abhishek Raj — had been asked to reply to allegations regarding various “commissions and omissions” on their part based on the factual report prepared by the vigilance department in the matter.

While Rajdev and Raj did not respond to calls and messages, Chaudhary said he had not received the notice yet and did not comment on the development.

Sources said four more PWD officials have also been served the show cause notice.

Citing the Ministers’ Residences (Amendment) Rules 2007, the notice states that the Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Delhi is eligible for residences below Type VIII accommodation as he is not equivalent to a Chief Minister of a full-fledged state.

According to the notice, the current bungalow was “disproportionately high” with regard to established norms.

The notice states that the built and plinth area increased from 1,397 sqm to 1,905 sqm during the project’s execution and that an additional Rs 6.94 crore was spent on “superior specification work”. This included “making artistic work to ornamental moulding over RCC”; a sky-light window over the main staircase area; and use of Burma teak wood. Delhi’s former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit was allotted a Type VIII bungalow on Motilal Nehru Marg, which the notice states was given on “exchange basis”.

The notice also directs PWD engineers concerned to explain why the old structure at 6, Flagstaff Road was demolished without survey report and why no building plans were sanctioned for the new building constructed by the PWD.

It further states that an amount of around Rs 52.71 crore was spent by the PWD on the residential complex-cum-camp office of the Chief Minister.

The notice also states that the construction at the residence was marked as an addition and alteration but an entire building was constructed to replace the existing structure.

The report also states that building plans were not sanctioned by PWD’s building committee and the work order does not speak about a camp office being created and only a staff block.