A draft report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has rapped the Delhi State Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC), Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) for failing to construct low-cost homes for the urban poor.
A total of 24 projects comprising 1,10,584 dwelling units costing roughly Rs4,327.46 crore were approved. But subsequently, plans for 44,720 dwelling units were dropped after the Delhi Government could not provide proper space.
One project of 1,200 dwelling units was trashed due to inaction on part of DUSIB while work for 20,340 houses is yet to be awarded. The construction of 9,780 houses had been abandoned midway due to non observance of norms of National Building Code. Only 14,844 houses were completed while 585 houses were allotted to slum dwellers till date.
The CAG, in the draft report, came down heavily on DUSIB for failing to construct low cost houses, saying works for 9,780 dwelling units under three projects were stopped soon after their award because the width of staircases in all the blocks was not in accordance with National Building Code.
Projects were lying abandoned for want of final decision regarding revision in the building plan. Mobilisation advances of Rs38.74 crore have been released, ignoring the fact that works were standing still. Works for another project for 7,400 dwelling units was not awarded for the same reason.
“In two projects against the approved cost of Rs28.45 crore, the DUSIB incurred an expenditure of Rs35.46 crore (Rs7 crore excess of approved cost) while several other items of work remained to be executed,” the CAG said. “Similarly, delay on part of DUSIB in finalisation of proposal for 1,340 dwelling units resulted in loss of opportunity as sanction of new projects under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission has since been closed,” it said.
On the DSIIDC, the CAG states, “DSIIDC were given 14 projects of low-cost housing. The agency has invited tender for construction of 5,552 houses at Bapraulla. Only one bid was received.”
“The cost quoted by the only bidder was almost double of the estimated cost put to tender. The proposal was put on hold. Beside this, 9,660 houses were constructed without approval of layout plans by local bodies,” CAG said.
As far as NDMC is concerned, the CAG states one project with 240 dwelling units with an estimated cost of Rs21.89 crore was executed by the council. The work was not awarded upto June 2012.
Criticising DDA, the CAG states the project for construction of 4,740 houses were approved in December 2007 at a cost of Rs196.06 crore. DDA split the project into five parts and awarded four contracts for 4,060 houses at the tendered cost of Rs176.45 crore. The project was started after 30 months of its approval in June 2010. The DDA awarded the contract at Rs176.45 crore against the approval of Rs196.06 crore for 4,740 houses, leaving Rs19.61 crore for remaining 680 houses. The cost of remaining houses works out to at least Rs29.55 crore. It is evident from the above fact that additional burden would be loaded on the Delhi Government,” it said.