Delhi govt orders ACB probe into Barapullah Phase-3 project irregularities
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta headed an expenditure finance committee (EFC) meeting along with Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Verma, where the decision was taken for an Anti-Corruption Branch probe in the matter. "The irregularities in the project and the payment of Rs 175 crore to the contractor should be investigated by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB)," a government statement said. Gupta further alleged "corruption" by the previous Aam Aadmi Party government in the matter of delayed completion of the flyover.
According to the government, the elevated road was scheduled for completion in October 2017 but was repeatedly delayed, and eventually the matter went into arbitration. "The ruling favoured the contractor with an award of Rs 120 crore. When the payment was withheld, the company approached the high court, which in May 2023 ordered the PWD to pay Rs 175 crore, including interest and GST. The sum was subsequently paid during the tenure of then-PWD minister Atishi," the Delhi government said in a statement.
CM Gupta further criticized the AAP government for "neither filing a review petition nor acting against the responsible officers". "The contractor had initially offered to settle the dispute for Rs 35 crore, but the proposal was ignored, resulting in the escalation of the matter to the high court.
The previous government had prevented the company from executing the work," it added. There was no immediate reaction available from the AAP to the queries. "The possibility of PWD officials being complicit in the irregularities and that their actions will be scrutinised under the inquiry," it added.
According to officials, the project, which started in 2015, is currently 87 per cent completed. The original estimated cost of the project was Rs 1,260.63 crore, out of which Rs 1,238.68 crore has been spent so far. For the financial year 2025–26, Rs 150 crore has been allocated, of which Rs 86.43 crore had been spent by June 2025.
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