The Hindu : New Delhi News : Sheila cracks the whip on quality control

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 09, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Sheila cracks the whip on quality control

By Sujay Mehdudia

NEW DELHI, MARCH 8. Poor quality of roads, delay in construction of school buildings, flyovers and other infrastructure projects running months behind schedule and a widespread contractor-official nexus holding up important hospital projects in the Capital! Yes, for all that the Sheila Dikshit Government has finally decided to act and bring the guilty to book for misuse of public money.

"I am all for punishing the guilty officials and contractors. They should be taken to task for such criminal misuse of public money. They should be blacklisted and not give any other projects in Delhi. We will also look into the issue of outsourcing major projects in future to introduce a sense of competition in the public sector,'' said the Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit. Last week the Chief Minister hauled up officials as well as private contractors for failing to complete work on the Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital on time. A policy decision in this connection is expected from the Delhi Government soon. The Sheila Dikshit Government has been in the forefront in introducing administrative reforms and computerisation of various departments, but it has so far not succeeded in implementing the Cabinet decision on quality control and ensuring efficiency in execution of major infrastructure projects. Nearly three years ago, the Cabinet had decided to outsource major works including modernisation of the Sarai Kale Khan Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) as well as the proposed ISBT at Dwarka. But that failed to take-off with the result that projects are still being handled by the Public Works Department and petty contractors.

There have also been instances when companies were blacklisted for delay in execution of flyover projects in the Capital. However, for some strange reason the decision to blacklist them was reversed and they were given additional projects, many of which are facing delays leading to wastage and misuse of public money.

One example is the Moti Nagar flyover project that was handed over to the U.P. State Bridge Corporation even after it faltered in the execution of major flyover projects in other parts of the Capital including the prestigious Dhaula Kuan project.

The poor quality of work in the Shastri Park Hospital and delay in completion of the Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital calls for prompt action as promised by the Chief Minister. It is not only the contractors who have shown laxity, but also the PWD officials who were monitoring the progress of work and filing inspection reports.

"The kind of progress taking place in the hospital projects was not hidden from the PWD officials. They knew all along about the quality of material being used and the poor progress of work. All those who did quality inspection and monitored the project should also be taken to task immediately to send a strong signal that the Government means business. Otherwise this would also be seen another routine inspection by the head of state which in the end achieved little,'' a senior official remarked.

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