Audit flags ₹1.18-crore wasteful expenditure in Capitol complex project

According to the audit findings, during 2023-24, the division had prepared projects for the repair and maintenance of the Punjab and Haryana assembly buildings

An audit report by the director general of audit (Central), Chandigarh, has flagged a wasteful expenditure of ₹1.18 crore on the Capitol Complex heritage conservation project, with no work done even six years after funds were released.

Designed by French architect Le Corbusier, the Capitol Complex was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016. (HT File Photo)

Funds to the tune of ₹1.18 crore, out of the total contract of ₹1.48 crore, had been released in March 2019 for the conservation, restoration, and management of the Capitol Complex, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016.

Designed by the legendary French architect Le Corbusier, the complex is a landmark of Chandigarh’s modernist architecture, set against the backdrop of the Shivalik Hills. It comprises the Open Hand Monument, Punjab and Haryana high court, Tower of Shadows, Geometric Hill, the Legislative Assembly, and the Secretariat, spread across more than 100 acres in Sector 1. Construction or alteration at the site requires prior approval from the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.

According to the audit findings, during 2023-24, the division had prepared projects for the repair and maintenance of the Punjab and Haryana assembly buildings. Two separate rough cost estimates were drawn — ₹38 crore for the Punjab and Haryana civil sections and ₹11.57 crore for the assembly buildings. The work was to be carried out in four stages — civil works, main ramp works, plumbing and fire-fighting systems, HVAC (heating, ventilating and air condition) and electrical works.

As per the audit documents, a consultant was appointed through a tender process in February 2017, with a mandate to complete the project within three years. Despite the release of funds in March 2019, the report notes that as of February 2025, the project remains incomplete, and no new tender process has been initiated. The audit report categorises the entire expenditure as “unfruitful,” noting that the department failed to respond when the issue was raised during the audit.

Slow progress in other engineering projects

The audit also raised objections over the slow pace of several other projects under the engineering department. It found that three construction works — including ongoing projects at the Capitol Complex, the revamp of Sector 17, and another heritage-related work — were progressing far behind schedule.

The audit revealed that while these projects should have been completed long ago, one has reached only 30% completion, and another stands at 79%. Examination of departmental records further showed that contracting agencies maintained a sluggish pace of work, leading to significant delays in project completion.