AAP Leaders Blame PWD for Cost Escalation

Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and former Delhi ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain have reportedly told the Delhi government's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) that Public Works Department (PWD) officials should be held accountable for the alleged inflated costs in the previous government's school classrooms project, according to statements given to the agency, seen by HT.

- Hemani Bhandari

NEW DELHI:

However, PWD engineers interviewed by ACB investigators have alleged the changes that led to the ballooning of the project cost were made at the direction of the two ministers, the documents show.

ACB is investigating alleged violations in a project involving the construction of 12,748 semi-permanent classrooms in schools run by the then AAP government. Initially valued at ₹860 crore, the project cost ballooned to over ₹2,800 crore, allegedly without new tenders or adherence to standard procurement protocols. Jain was questioned by ACB on June 6 while Sisodia was questioned on June 20. About 20 other witnesses—mostly government officials—were questioned in May this year.

Their testimonies, according to internal ACB records, indicate a loop of blame between political and bureaucratic leadership.