Constituency-wise development projects for city draw flak

The floating of tenders by the local Municipal Corporation for various development works in the city estimated to cost Rs 114 crore has come in for criticism. Former district president of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Suresh Kumar Sharma, has accused the MC officials of favouring select contractors in the allocation of road and street construction projects. He alleged that these tenders were designed to benefit a few chosen contractors rather than ensuring impartial development. He also alleged that the newly elected councillors have been bypassed and development of the city would suffer because of this partiality. The tenders floated include those for the Rs 21.48 crore project for the North and West Assembly constituencies, Rs 43.29 crore for the Golden Temple radial roads, and Rs 49.40 crore for the Central, South and West constituencies. These tenders were published on January 29 and are set to open on February 25.

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The AAP leader criticised the process, stating that the MC, which typically functions based on division of wards, has instead floated tenders based on assembly constituencies. He argued that the system prevents equal development across all wards and sidelines the authority of municipal councillors, who are responsible for ward-level planning and development. By issuing these tenders shortly after the appointment of new municipal councillors on December 21, 2024, Sharma claimed that the MC’s intentions appear questionable and raise doubts about favouritism.

Sharma highlighted that while 150 contractor companies are eligible for projects up to Rs 1 crore, only five companies can bid for projects ranging between Rs 10-15 crore, and just two firms qualify for tenders exceeding Rs 15 crore. This, he argued, allows larger firms to dominate the bidding process while smaller contractors are left out, reducing competition and leading to unfair allocations. He claimed that 90 per cent of MC tenders in recent years have been awarded to a single company, indicating a clear monopoly.

He stated that such practices not only result in wastage of public funds but also prevent small contractors from securing work, aggravating local unemployment, particularly among unskilled labourers. Sharma has written to the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary and the Director of Local Bodies, urging them to immediately cancel these tenders before their scheduled opening on February 27. He also called upon the Mayor and 84 municipal councilors to submit objections in writing to the Principal Secretary, Government of Punjab, demanding that tenders be issued ward-wise rather than constituency-wise.