North and south municipalities remove corrupt engineers from building department

The building department is considered one of the most lucrative postings in the corporations where engineers allegedly demand money from both real-estate developers and people creating homes and extensions illegally.

The south and north Delhi municipal corporations are removing engineers who have allegations of corruption against them from the “sensitive” building department.

A view of Shree Sai Kunj Colony at Vasant Kunj in New Delhi. (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

The north corporation has drawn up a list of 26 such junior engineers (JE), assistant engineers (AE) and executive engineers who are accused of seeking bribes, standing committee chairperson Jai Praksh said on Wednesday.

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) transferred 56 such junior officers recently.

“They will be transferred to lesser plum postings in departments like projects, maintenance and works of the engineering wing, where the scope to earn money under the table is less,” Prakash said.

The building department is considered one of the most lucrative postings in the corporations where engineers allegedly demand money from both real-estate developers and people creating homes and extensions illegally.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal also pointed at this issue during the municipal elections.

Besides, the two corporations are drawing up lists of “deadwood” officers who are either not able to deliver at work or take holidays repeatedly, on instructions from the central government conveyed via the Lieutenant Governor.

They will be forced to go on compulsory retirement as per provision 56 J of the Service Conduct Rules for government employees.

“The first such list of at least 35 such officers, who are to be laid off, has already been submitted to the LG by the North MCD and the second list is under preparation,” a senior officer said.