CVC refers Delhi Games project to CBI

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) lifted the hood just a little off the 2010 Commonwealth Games projects to find several cases of corruption and inefficiency by almost all the government agencies related to the event.

The CVC has referred one of the 15 projects it examined to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for investigation. This project, undertaken by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, allegedly connived with a firm to tamper with bid papers. The firm was chosen for quoting the lowest amount, but later rigged the papers to make up for the difference.

This, however, is not the only case that the CVC may refer to the CBI. The vigilance body examined about 15 projects related to the Games and found that almost all the organisations executing works for Games have considered inadmissible factors to jack-up the reasonable price to justify award of work at quoted rates citing urgent or emergent circumstances.

Despite higher rates poor site management, delays and quality compromises have been observed, a report prepared by the CVC's Chief Technical Examiner's Wing read.

The agencies under the CVC scanner are: PWD (five cases), MCD (three cases), DDA (two cases), NDMC (two cases), CPWD (two cases) and RITES (one case). The projects include stadiums and facilities upgradation and infrastructure beautification, with suspected revenue misappropriation of over Rs. 2,500 crores.

The report also says that sub-standard materials were used, with rigging of bids, and sanctioning projects not required at all.

It further adds that ineligible agencies were awarded the work.

One Joint Venture (JV) firm was qualified based on a particular name and composition of the joint venture, whereas bids submitted by the JV with different composition were accepted. The work finally had to be terminated which resulted into time and cost overrun, the report reads.

The case referred to the CBI has financial irregularities to the tune of over Rs. three crores. The MCD along with the firm which was awarded the contract of street light upgradation allegedly tampered with the original bid papers by cutting or by overwriting in the price bid after opening in order to increase the quoted amount to avail the difference of Rs. 362,72,229.

Despite the higher rates, the CVC says that site management, quality and punctuality have been compromised.

CVC said that test records were fabricated to show high strength to execute poor quality works.

Even the already completed beautified roads failed to meet quality checks.

The concrete core samples taken from the already laid concrete also failed to meet the requirement of strength during testing in an independent outside laboratory and cement content was found much less than prescribed and recorded to have been used. This indicates forging of testing records. The third party Quality Assurance Agency also failed to point out major failure of concrete samples and preparation of forged testing records, the report reads.

The CVC has identified spots where upgradation was not even needed.

"Almost all the agencies have taken up the work of streetscaping, especially kerb stone and footpath tiles, without ascertaining the need for such upgradation.