E-Paper
Cyber security blues: GMADA properties worth ₹6,945 cr auctioned on PUDA portal since 2017
As per the NIC, which is the Centre’s technology arm, the PUDA portal has not had a security audit since 2017 and glaring security loopholes were found on it. For instance, it lacks data encryption, two-factor authentication etc, all of which have the potential to compromise the secrecy of bidders and in turn affect the integrity of the auctions.
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Since 2017, the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has conducted 26 e-auctions worth ₹6,945 crore on the Punjab Urban planning and Development Authority (PUDA) portal, the security of which is under question following a National Informatics Centre (NIC) report.
As per the NIC, which is the Centre’s technology arm, the PUDA portal has not had a security audit since 2017 and glaring security loopholes were found on it. For instance, it lacks data encryption, two-factor authentication etc, all of which have the potential to compromise the secrecy of bidders and in turn affect the integrity of the auctions.
Last week, Punjab chief secretary Anurag Verma had shot off a strongly worded letter to the housing and urban department officers, fixing their personal responsibility for ensuring the transparency of auctions on the site.
The development has raised the heckles of developers who are demanding a vigilance inquiry and immediate audit of GMADA auctions of the last six years.
Parveen Kansal, chief managing director of Chandigarh Royale City, Zirakpur, said, “There is suspicion that certain private bidders may be colluding with senior officers of the housing and urban development department and the Punjab State Industrial Export Corporation (PSIEC) to gain unfair advantage during the auctions. There must be a vigilance inquiry as this may result in substantial financial losses for the state exchequer.”
Another builder, not willing to be named, revealed that the Punjab e-auction portal had malfunctioned several times during GMADA’s auctions in the past, fuelling speculations of foul play in the auctioning process. The anonymous builder also alleged that certain favoured builders had been successful in multiple auctions, raising further suspicions.
Following the chief secretary’s recent letter, GMADA postponed the auction of 49 properties originally scheduled for October 30.
Despite several attempts, PUDA chief administrator Apneet Riyait and the nodal officers of auctions were not available for comments.
