Is There a Scam in the Classroom Construction Involving Sisodia and Jain?

New Delhi, April 30 (NationPress) The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) has initiated legal proceedings against former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister Manish Sisodia, along with former Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Satyendar Jain, regarding an alleged deception linked to the construction of classrooms at inflated costs during the tenure of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.

The ACB has uncovered a staggering scam estimated at around Rs 2,000 crore involving the construction of 12,748 classrooms and educational buildings.

Allegations suggest that semi-permanent structure (SPS) classrooms, which are designed to last roughly 30 years, were built at costs comparable to those of reinforced cement concrete (RCC) structures, which typically have a lifespan of 75 years. This raises questions about the financial prudence of choosing SPS.

The project was reportedly awarded to 34 contractors, many of whom are allegedly linked to the AAP.

Investigators have noted significant cost overruns and project delays, with none of the undertakings completed within the prescribed timeframe. Furthermore, consultants and architects were hired without adhering to proper protocols, enabling inflated costs through their involvement.

The Chief Technical Examiner (CTE) of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) highlighted numerous irregularities in a report dated February 17, 2020, which was kept under wraps for nearly three years.

This report identified violations of several provisions of the CPWD Works Manual 2014, General Financial Rules (GFR) 2017, and CVC guidelines, particularly concerning post-tender decision-making, which resulted in inflated project costs and financial losses.

Complaints from BJP leaders Harish Khurana, MLA Kapil Mishra, and Neelkanth Bakshi have alleged corruption in the construction of 12,748 classrooms costing Rs 2,892 crore. The average cost per room came to Rs 24.86 lakh, a stark contrast to an estimated Rs 5 lakh per room under normal circumstances in Delhi.

The CVC report indicated that the actual cost of SPS classrooms—Rs 2,292 per sq ft—was nearly the same as the cost of permanent pucca structures, which ranged from Rs 2,044 to Rs 2,416 per sq ft. Higher specifications were adopted without financial justification, undermining the cost-saving objective of SPS construction.

In the financial year 2015-16, the Expenditure Finance Committee had approved the project with a directive to finalize it by June 2016, specifically prohibiting any cost increases.

Nonetheless, contract values were later adjusted upwards by 17 percent to 90 percent, leading to an escalation of Rs 326.25 crore, including Rs 205.45 crore attributed solely to enhanced specifications.

No new tenders were issued to reflect these changes, contravening CVC regulations. In at least five schools, work valued at Rs 42.5 crore was conducted without appropriate tenders, relying on existing contracts.