PWD Minister Parvesh suspends executive engineer over lapses

In a major crackdown on official negligence, PWD Minister Parvesh Verma ordered the suspension of an executive engineer posted in East Delhi after finding serious lapses in the maintenance of drainage lines.

While inspecting the roads in Patparganj on Friday, the minister found that drains along NH-9 (service lane), also known as NH-24, were in a state of severe neglect, with no visible maintenance work.

Expressing strong displeasure over the situation, the minister said, “The PWD is responsible for maintaining these drains, but the ground reality is completely different. There will be no tolerance for inefficiency, and I have ordered the suspension of the engineer responsible for this negligence.”

He further criticised the working style of PWD officials, stating that in the past 10 years, they have become “thick-skinned” and indifferent towards their responsibilities. He emphasised that strict monitoring and accountability would now be enforced to ensure better infrastructure upkeep.

Following his visit to Patparganj, Verma also inspected roads and drains from the New Ashok Nagar metro station to Chilla village in Trilokpuri and several areas within the Patparganj Assembly. He found that the condition of drains was poor, causing inconvenience to residents. He directed officials to take immediate corrective measures to prevent issues such as waterlogging and unhygienic conditions in the area.

The minister also issued a stern warning to senior PWD officials, stating that those failing in their responsibilities would face strict disciplinary action. “Delhi deserves world-class roads and infrastructure. Officers must take ownership of their duties. Those who fail to comply will be held accountable,” he asserted.

To ensure better enforcement, the PWD has now made daily inspections mandatory for all field officials, including junior engineers, assistant engineers and executive engineers. They will be required to submit reports, along with pictures, through the PWD e-monitoring app. The department has noted that officials have failed to report potholes, broken footpaths, encroachments and other road defects - a lapse that will no longer be tolerated.

The minister introduced new enforcement measures to improve road maintenance. Officials will now be required to conduct inspections every morning from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm, including Saturdays, and submit their reports without fail. Any official failing to comply with these new guidelines will face strict action.

Minister Verma made it clear that this was just the beginning of a larger reform plan. “The PWD will now function with accountability and transparency. Laxity will not be tolerated,” he warned.