Ambala mayor demands vigilance probe into two road projects

In her letter to MC commissioner and the director general of the state vigilance bureau, Ambala mayor Shakti Rani Sharma alleged that separate tenders had been allotted for the construction of two 800-metre roads in September 2019 at a total cost of ₹73.65 lakh. However, only 200-metre each was constructed, the mayor has alleged

Ambala mayor Shakti Rani Sharma has demanded a vigilance probe into an alleged scam in the construction of two roads in 2019.

Ambala mayor Shakti Rani Sharma has demanded a vigilance probe into an alleged scam in the construction of two roads in 2019

In her letter to MC commissioner and the director general of the state vigilance bureau, Sharma alleged that separate tenders had been allotted for the construction of two 800-metre roads in September 2019 at a total cost of ₹73.65 lakh. However, only 200-metre each was constructed, the mayor has alleged.

“Further, the contractor laid down the RCC pipe and the breadth of the road was increased from 38 feet to 57 feet without approval or inviting fresh tender and payment of ₹60 lakh was made,” she said, referring to a report published in a Hindi daily.

She added that the work was executed in absence of a written order and it is now estimated that around ₹1.57 crore will be required to build the remaining 600-metres of each road.

“I’m upset that nothing has come out of all the complaints filed against discrepancies in MC’s working. I’ve called for a grievance redressal meeting on Monday to hear out problems being faced by residents,” Sharma said.

The letter comes weeks after Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) state spokesperson Vivek Chaudhary Lallana in July sought a vigilance inquiry into a number of issues concerning the civic body. He is the husband of nominated member of the MC house, Pooja Chaudhary.