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Row after LMC issues tender to relay road already in good shape
The lane in question was constructed last year under the supervision of the area corporator. When she came to know about the same patch being listed for reconstruction, she met municipal commissioner and raised objection
LUCKNOW The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has come under scrutiny after issuing a tender of nearly ₹5 lakh for reconstructing a road, which is in good condition, in New Haider Ganj first ward of the city. The move has raised questions about mismanagement of funds and allocation of resources.
The lane in question, besides SKG Medical Store, was constructed last year under the supervision of area corporator Rajni Gupta. When she came to know about the same patch being listed for repair and reconstruction, she met municipal commissioner Inderjit Singh on Wednesday and raised objection. Gupta urged the commissioner to remove this job from the tender list, emphasizing that funds should be used for roads that genuinely need repair.
“This road was built last year and is still in good condition. It does not need reconstruction. Had I not intervened, the contractor would have broken and rebuilt it unnecessarily, leading to wastage of public funds,” said Gupta, pointing out that multiple roads in her ward that require immediate maintenance remain neglected.
Another corporator hinted at possible collusion among officials. “It is unlikely that such incidents happen without the knowledge of officials collusion. This is not an isolated case; there have been several instances where tenders were floated for already functional roads, raising suspicions of financial misconduct,” he alleged, adding that the misuse of funds is because of the upcoming Swachh survey.
An activist also recalled a similar incident near Lalbagh, where mayor Sushma Kharakwal caught workers reconstructing a well-maintained pathway. When she questioned the LMC chief engineer, he didn’t have a valid explanation. The mayor’s intervention led to action against the official in charge of the area.
LMC chief engineer Mahesh Verma defended the new tender, claiming that the project aimed to cover a nullah with a grill and repair interlocking tiles. However, Gupta refuted the claim, insisting that the road is already in excellent condition and did not require any repairs.
Meanwhile, LMC additional municipal commissioner Arvind Kumar Rao distanced himself from the issue, stating that he was unaware of it as all tender approvals are handled by the chief engineer’s office.
The controversy surrounding the road’s tender has again put the spotlight on LMC’s project approvals and fund allocation, with many calling for greater transparency in municipal operations.
