Putting it in no uncertain terms, the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India has slammed the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation for its shoddy handling of construction of the ‘Signature Bridge’ across the Yamuna.
The report has noted that the delay in taking decisions by the Delhi Government has escalated the cost of the bridge by Rs. 672 crore. “Failure of the DTTDC to manage the events increased the estimated cost of the project from Rs.459 crore in March 2006 to Rs.1,131 crore in February 2010 (an increase of Rs. 672 crore),” stated the report. Moreover, a project planned to be completed in August 2008 has now been rescheduled to be completed in December 2013.
The CAG reportfurther pointed out violations of the terms and conditions of the contract of the project with the contractor getting the fabrication job done in China when the contract specified that work should be done in only three Indian fabrication shops specified in the agreement. “It was the primary responsibility of the DTTDC to ensure quality of the material being used in the bridge. This aspect was not ensured as DTTDC had no mechanism to ensure quality of material and work being done in China,” stated the report.
Further, the contractor was also paid Rs.20.60 crore as secured advance for the material procured in China which was in violation of provisions of CPWD Works Manual .
“There were other irregularities noticed in the execution of contracts such as award of work of Rs.5.99 crore to consultant without tendering, irregular, undue payment to contractor of Rs.4 crore in name of price variation, extra expenditure of Rs. 70 lakh in designing of the road, unauthorised reduction in the scope of work, irregular expenditure of Rs. 35.03 crore and non-levy of penalty for delay in completion of works,” stated the report.
