Latest news with #PWD
Hindustan Times
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘322 bank passbooks…': What probe agency found after raids in Delhi classroom construction ‘scam'
The Enforcement Directorate on Friday said it had seized over 300 passbooks linked to mule accounts opened in the names of labourers that were allegedly used to divert the Delhi government funds from the 'classroom construction scam' during the previous Aam Aadmi Party regime. The Aam Aadmi Party dismissed the ED's action as a "desperate" bid to divert public attention.(HT file photo) The passbooks were seized after the probe agency conducted searches in connection with the case at 37 locations in Delhi on June 18. In a statement, the ED said officials have 'unearthed substantial incriminating evidence from the premises of a private contractor'. "Among the materials seized were original departmental files belonging to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, as well as rubber stamps bearing the names and designations of officials from the Public Works Department (PWD)," it said. Also Read | AAP deceiving people with 'fake' edu, healthcare models: Congress The agency added that officials also found "322 bank passbooks linked to mule accounts (used for transacting illicit funds) opened in the names of labourers used to divert government funds under the guise of legitimate transactions". The agency also seized 'forged letterheads' of private contractors and shell entities, which were allegedly used to create fake procurement records and fictitious purchase bills. The ED said the case pertains to financial "misappropriation" exceeding ₹ 2,000 crore in the construction of 12,748 additional classrooms by the PWD between 2015 and 2023. Also Read | Union home ministry gives go ahead to ED to prosecute Kejriwal Despite an initial requirement for 2,405 classrooms, the project scope was "arbitrarily" increased to 7,180 equivalent classrooms and, subsequently, to 12,748 rooms "without" proper sanction or approvals, resulting in "massive" cost escalations, the agency said. Aam Aadmi Party reacts The Aam Aadmi Party dismissed the ED's action as a "desperate" bid to divert public attention, calling the allegations against its leaders "politically motivated." In a statement on June 18, the party said the 'so-called raids' were a diversionary tactic, describing the charges as baseless and timed to deflect focus from the BJP's 'anti-people actions.' The ED case, filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), stems from an FIR registered by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of Delhi on April 30 against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and former ministers in the cabinet of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal -- Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain and some others.
Time of India
10 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Rispana-Bindal road projects: Concerns grow over environmental impact, lack of rehab plan
Dehradun: Concerns over the Rs 6,500 crore Rispana-Bindal elevated road project, which is touted as a 'solution to Doon's traffic woes' have intensified with several stakeholders, including residents, activists, and thousands of slum dwellers who may be displaced, expressing apprehension regarding the proposed 26-km elevated corridor, planned over the Rispana and Bindal riverbeds, aims to ease city traffic and offer a quicker route to Mussoorie. But activists claim it may cause irreversible ecological damage and permanently alter Dehradun's skyline. On Tuesday, the Dehradun Citizens Forum hosted a Town Hall Meet on the project at The Doon Library & Research Centre. The session featured a presentation by PWD engineer Jitendra Tripathi and consultancy firm Spectrum. Attended by over 100 professionals from diverse fields, the event saw strong calls for the immediate public release of the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and an inclusive cost-benefit analysis. Participants also urged that river rejuvenation efforts proceed independently of the corridor project. Officials said detailed project reports (DPRs) have been prepared and submitted to the state govt for approval. The criticism about the project centres on two fronts -- environmentalists fear the project will severely impact the Doon valley's ecology, while social activists warn of the large-scale displacement of residents once construction begins. The project also contradicts previous claims by the state govt to rejuvenate the rivers. Activists fear that such a large-scale infrastructure undertaking will leave no scope for restoration and could mark the end of these rivers. They are demanding transparency, environmental safeguards, and clear rehabilitation policies before work starts on the elevated road network. "There is both curiosity and concern among residents across Dehradun about the elevated roads being built over the fragile riverbeds of Rispana and Bindal," said social activist Anoop Nautiyal. "With pillars up to 15 metres high, this corridor risks permanently changing the city's ecological fabric. We're demanding that the Environmental Impact Assessment report be made public so that citizens can engage meaningfully and assess the true costs." Activists also called for public involvement in planning major infrastructure projects, especially those that claim to serve public interest. "There is often a stark contrast between govt claims and ground realities," said Manoj Dewaria, a resident of Kanwali Road. "They say it's to ease traffic, but what about the thousands of families whose future now hangs in the balance? There's been no talk of compensation or rehabilitation. What kind of public policy is this?" With project details still unclear, activists have filed several RTIs, but responses have been vague. One such reply from the PWD, accessed by TOI, stated: "In light of increasing traffic pressure in Dehradun and unavailability of space for road widening, the construction of the Rispana-Bindal elevated corridor is proposed. This will provide relief from traffic congestion in Dehradun. The project is under process and until its completion, specific details cannot be provided. "
The Hindu
11 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
ED seizes Delhi govt files, over 300 passbooks in classroom 'scam' searches
More than 300 passbooks, linked to mule bank accounts opened in the names of labourers, have been seized through which Delhi government funds sourced from the classroom-construction "scam" during the previous AAP regime were "diverted", the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said on Friday (June 20, 2025). The federal probe agency conducted searches in connection with the case at 37 locations in Delhi on June 18. The AAP had termed the ED action a "desperate" attempt to divert public attention and asserted that the allegations against its leaders were "politically motivated". Also Read | Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain summoned over ₹2,000 crore 'scam' in classroom construction The ED case, filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), stems from an FIR registered by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of Delhi on April 30 against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and former Ministers in the Cabinet of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal — Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain and some others. Sisodia, 53, held the finance and education portfolios in the previous AAP government in the national capital and Mr. Jain, 60, was in-charge of the public works department and some other ministries. An ED statement said the agency officials have "unearthed substantial incriminating evidence from the premises of a private contractor". "Among the materials seized were original departmental files belonging to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, as well as rubber stamps bearing the names and designations of officials from the Public Works Department (PWD)," it said. The officials also found that "322 bank passbooks linked to mule accounts (used for transacting illicit funds) opened in the names of labourers used to divert government funds under the guise of legitimate transactions". Some "forged" letterheads of private contractors and shell entities, which were used to generate fake procurement records and fictitious purchase bills, were also seized during the raids. The ED said the case pertains to financial "misappropriation" exceeding Rs 2,000 crore in the construction of 12,748 additional classrooms by the PWD between 2015 and 2023. Despite an initial requirement for 2,405 classrooms, the project scope was "arbitrarily" increased to 7,180 equivalent classrooms and, subsequently, to 12,748 rooms "without" proper sanction or approvals, resulting in "massive" cost escalations, the agency said. It said there was an "unjustified" adoption of richer specifications proposed by the executing company named Babbar and Babbar Associates and execution of duplicate and inflated works. "Cost escalations of up to 49.03% were observed across priority-I and priority-II phases," it said. The agency also claimed to have found "several dummy firms during the searches, which had no real infrastructure, documentation or operational legitimacy, but were shown to have received substantial payments for construction activities relating to the additional classrooms". The AAP said on June 18 that the "so-called raids are nothing but a desperate attempt to divert public attention from the reality. The allegations are baseless, politically motivated and timed only to distract from the BJP's anti-people actions". Mr. Sisodia and Mr. Jain have been questioned by the ACB in the case. The ACB FIR came about after alleged lapses in the case were flagged by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders like Kapil Mishra, Harish Khurana and Neelkant Bakshi had, in 2019, filed a complaint with the ACB alleging serious financial irregularities in the construction of classrooms across three zones of Delhi. The ACB alleged that the total expenditure incurred on the project amounted to Rs 2,892 crore, pushing the per-classroom cost to Rs 24.86 lakh, compared to the estimated Rs 5 lakh under standard norms. It claimed that the project was awarded to 34 contractors, most of whom were allegedly linked to the AAP.
NDTV
11 hours ago
- NDTV
Fake Bills, Mule Accounts Found In Delhi Classroom Construction Scam: Probe Agency
New Delhi: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has unearthed substantial incriminating evidence in connection with the alleged 'Delhi classroom construction scam', following large-scale search operations carried out on June 18. The searches were conducted at 37 locations across the national capital under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The ED's probe stems from a first information report (FIR) filed by the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government against former ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain, among others. The case involves alleged financial misappropriation to the tune of over Rs 2,000 crore in the construction of approximately 12,748 additional classrooms by the public works department (PWD) between 2015 and 2023. Investigators said the initial requirement was for 2,405 classrooms, but the project scope was arbitrarily and repeatedly expanded-first to 7,180 "equivalent classrooms" and later to 12,748 rooms - without proper sanction or administrative approval. This led to significant cost escalations, reportedly up to 49.03 per cent across different project phases. ED officials said the search operation revealed original departmental files belonging to the Delhi government and rubber stamps bearing names and designations of PWD officials from the premises of a private contractor. They also recovered 322 bank passbooks linked to mule accounts, allegedly opened in the names of labourers to facilitate diversion of government funds under the guise of legitimate payments. The agency uncovered fake letterheads of contractors and shell entities, used to fabricate procurement records and generate fictitious purchase bills. Several dummy firms with no real infrastructure or operations were allegedly shown to have received substantial payments for classroom construction. The ED seized forged invoices submitted to government departments, many of which either reflected inflated costs or entirely fictitious claims. Digital evidence and other financial documents recovered during the search are currently under forensic examination. The agency said the evidence points to widespread corruption, use of shell entities, and systemic diversion of public funds. Further investigation is going on.
Time of India
16 hours ago
- Climate
- Time of India
Delhi's waterlogging nightmare: 71 problematic sites still flooded despite drain work; flagged for urgent review
NEW DELHI: Public Works Department (PWD) has pinpointed 71 critical locations out of about 350 waterlogging-prone areas that continue to face problems despite initial cleaning. These sites will be reviewed with various departments during a coordination meeting on Friday, according to officials familiar with the matter. Representatives from PWD, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Metro, Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board, National Highway Authorities of India and the irrigation and industries departments will participate in the meeting to address the waterlogging concerns. Among the 71 locations are several points spanning Mathura Road, Ring Road and Outer Ring Road. These include Modi Mill flyover, Mukarba Chowk, Rajghat, IP flyover, Boulevard Road, Salimgarh Fort, Chatta Rail Chowk on SP Mukherjee Road, Majnu ka Tila, Siri Fort traffic signal, and Qutub Minar metro station. The main Burari Road remains one of the worst affected, with a major upgradation of the existing drain urgently required. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Discover Effortless Glucose Monitoring: Request a Free Trial Dexcom Try Now Undo In Ashok Vihar market, the situation persists despite letters written to DSIIDC seeking a permanent solution. Boulevard Road also faces regular water accumulation, with MCD yet to desilt a major drain in the area. On Vikas Marg, desilting and the laying of a new pipeline are currently underway in an attempt to resolve the issue, according to govt sources. At Tilak Marg under Tilak Bridge, the problem is attributed to the area's low-lying geography, making it naturally prone to water accumulation. A similar concern affects the stretch under Modi Mill flyover, where desilting work is in progress. The stretch from Moti Bagh to Durga Bai Deshmukh metro station witnesses waterlogging due to the connection of a sewer line of DUSIB in the stormwater drain. Drain-laying work is also on at the old Delhi Police headquarters-IP flyover stretch. Mangi Bridge on Ring Road is also affected, as desilting is being carried out and a pump is planned to be deployed. At Barapullah drain near Seva Nagar, the blockage caused by leaves and silt was recently addressed through desilting. In Greater Kailash 1, near B2 block, necessary arrangements for deploying a pump have been completed. Near the Satya Niketan bus stand, outfall line and sump work have been completed, but the installation of an electric motor is pending. Under Delhi Cantt metro station, the connection of a sewer line with the stormwater drain has caused waterlogging. The issue was formally communicated to the metro station staff. The 71 critical hotspots also include 13 areas along Ring Road, 11 along Rohtak and New Rohtak Road, nine areas along Outer Ring Road, and three along Mall Road Extension. Other stretches of concern include IP Road, BRT Road, Avtar Singh Marg, main Goyla Road, Bhairon Marg, Anuvrat Marg, Burari Marg and Najafgarh Road. A senior PWD official said that the meeting is being held to discuss and resolve the inter-departmental issues involved in taking remedial actions in respect of the 71 waterlogging points in Delhi. "In some areas, the problem was identified and some solutions were also implemented while in other areas, pumps have been deployed as of now," said the official. He added that the meeting will help solve the issue of multiplicity of agencies. PWD manages about 2,026 km of drains running along the 1,400 km of roads, which merge with big drains under the irrigation department that have outfall in the Yamuna river.
