Bus shelters built at ‘inflated’ cost, Sangrur residents demand probe

Parvesh Sharma
Tribune News Service
Sangrur, July 15

Construction of 12 bus shelters in Sangrur city at “higher” rates and installation of iron railing in front of them at many places by the Sangrur Improvement Trust authorities has kicked a controversy.

Locals have demanded a high-level Vigilance Bureau (VB) inquiry and registration of a case as they alleged it was wastage of the government money.

“The trust authorities have paid Rs 1.66 lakh per shelter for the work which we could get done in Rs 65,000-75,000. It is unacceptable and we will meet senior VB officers to submit an evidence for a high-level inquiry and registration of a case,” said advocate Dasvir Singh Dalee.

Baljit Kumar, SDO, Sangrur Improvement Trust, denied the allegations and said the tender for the bus shelters was worth Rs 24.60 lakh and they had got the work done at Rs 19.92 lakh. They had saved the government money worth Rs 4.68 lakh, he said.

“The tender process is online and we had given it to the lowest bidder. Everything has been done with transparency. All allegations are baseless,” said Naresh Gaba, chairman of the trust.