Audit report exposes ‘unrealistic estimates’ for housing works in Chandigarh

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, August 20

The Director General of Audit (Central), Chandigarh, in its report, has stated the UT Administration is preparing “unrealistic estimates” for renovation of government houses. It has been found that the difference between the estimated cost and the total expenditure was up to 84 per cent in some works.

‘It reeks of corruption’

Going by the audit report, it reeks of corruption. An inquiry should be conducted into why very high estimates are being prepared by the UT administration officers. — RK Garg, RTI activist

The department conducted a check of the record for 2021-22 maintained by the office of the Executive Engineer, Capital Project Division Number 3, and found estimates with respect to various works were “very much on the higher side and the expenditure incurred was very low after completion of work.”

“The work is executed as per detailed estimates prepared on the basis of detailed drawings and specifications. The detailed estimates should be given with broad details for each item of work involved and schedule of rates so that it is realistic and involves a minimum variation,” read the audit report.

The report is out now, thanks to an RTI query. Scanning through the list of 17 works mentioned in the audit, it was found that addition/alteration work in a Sector 4 house an estimated cost of Rs 20.27 lakh, while it was carried out at a cost of Rs 3.24 lakh, a difference of 84.02 per cent.

Likewise, addition/alteration work in a Sector 24 residence was estimated to be a whopping Rs 11.88 lakh but only Rs 3.39 lakh was spent on the job, which is a difference of 71.46 per cent.

Renovation of toilets and kitchen on the ground floor and conversion of garage into a camp office in a Type 8 house in Sector 11 was estimated at Rs 6.75 lakh, while the expenditure of only Rs 2.02 lakh was incurred, a big difference of 70.07 per cent again. The UT Administration gets such renovation works done through contractors and each house has three separate tenders for public health, civil and electrical works. The Admn prepares high estimates in tenders but these works are carried out by the contractors at a small cost with the same specifications and make as mentioned in the tender.

“Going by the audit report, it reeks of corruption. An inquiry should be conducted into why very high estimates are being prepared by the UT administration officers,” said RK Garg, RTI activist.