Multi-crore scam surfaces in R&B
*DDC Member files case before ACB
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Oct 29: Multi-crore scam in the PW(R&B) Department, Nowshera Division has surfaced where existing norms have been thrown to winds, for ensuring allotment of tender workers to the ‘favourites’, allegedly through fraudulent manners and manipulation.
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Even the works have been allotted on the single tender for many works in the Division under the nose of the Chief Engineer Pir Panjal Zone, by flouting norms and allegedly adopting corrupt practices by the officers/ officials at the helm of affairs during past over one year. Many tenders were rejected on the `flimsy grounds’, favouring their `blue-eyed’ people for the reason best known to the people at the helm.
Exposing the entire nexus and the people behind the illegal, unfair, non-transparent and corrupt practices in the Nowshera R&B Division, DDC Member Nowshera Dr Manohar Singh has filed a detailed case, with documentary evidence before the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Jammu and Kashmir for registration of an FIR and taking legal action against the officers/officials of the PW(R&B) Department.
The documents which are also available with the Excelsior revealed that the concerned R&B officials from the top in Pir Panjal Zone and up to the bottom, up to Circle, Division and Sub Division level, without caring for the JKUT administration and agencies like ACB/ Vigilance, have brazenly flouted the existing Govt norms/ Financial rules related to tendering process and showered favours on the blue eyed contractors/firms for their vested interests.
Making startling revelations with regard to one of the aspects of this scam, the sources disclosed that 23 roads, between serial number 33 and 86, as projected in the documents, which were actually and purely RDD roads, originally constructed under MGNREGA and Panchayat Plans, shockingly and willfully misrepresented and projected R&B roads to divert funds and unlawfully show expenditure.
These RDD roads neither qualify under the criteria for the macadamisation nor fall within the norms of the Action Plan for the City and Towns. The technical standards for RDD differ entirely from those of PW(R&B). By falsely including these roads under the C&T CAPEX Plan, the officials at the helm have committed a gross violation of rules, deliberate fraud and `financial mis-conduct’, the sources revealed.
The sources further disclosed that PW(R&B) Division, Nowshera has fraudulently shown cumulative expenditure on these roads and sought additional funds for their so called completion. But in reality, no expenditure, whatsoever, has been made by the PW(R&B) Deptt on these projects. This is a clear attempt to misappropriate Government funds worth crores by manipulating records by the concerned officials.
Giving more details, the sources said infact, vide Letter No. PWD-PLMG/264 /2025-26 -05/E7651884, the Chief Engineer, PW(R&B), Pir Panjal was directed to process the Action Plan under the Cities and Towns (C&T) Sector CAPEX Budget 2025 -26, for the authorization of ongoing/ new works, and after that approval for AA/TS and tendering was sanctioned for above mentioned works under the sector, dated 09-06-2026.
Referring to the another case, the sources revealed that a tender was called for the construction of a VIP suit with the project cost of Rs 62.33 lakh on the Conference Hall, at Dak Bungalow Nowshera on June 13, 2025. The date of opening of tender was June 25, 2025. Interestingly, about 70-75% of the work has been executed by a contractor but the tender has not been opened till date.
As per the documents, about a dozen road works have been allotted against single tender while in many cases without competition among three mandatory competitors, the works were allotted to the favourites. The documents further revealed that in some of the cases the works were allotted to the higher and not the lowest bidder.
In one of the case, at serial number 17 of the documents, tenders were called for the construction of road from Dabbar to Kangota in Nowshera on 23-10-2024. Four bids were rejected and the rejection time is also same on the portal. Two selective bids were accepted and the tender allotted at the higher rates in favour of one Saqira Begum. Same has been the case for Shamshan Ghat Road at Nowshera.
For the construction of three bridges including one 95 mts span at Katera Jagir, the officials adopted most unfair and fraudulent procedure and rejected tenders without justified reasons. For Katera bridge tender was opened on 25-8-2025 instead of 24-7-2025 and all the four bids were admitted, but on 28-7-2025 corrigendum was issued whereby the work was put to fresh tenders. For this the reason given was surprising– “Insufficient completion.” On second call again four bids were received and three were rejected on different grounds and third bid of M/s Padha Constructions was accepted.
Sources said single tender can be opened in case of great urgency. If there was so urgency, why the department took more than one month to open the bids in some of the cases. A thorough and deep investigation is needed to unearth the conspiracy and the scam.
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