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Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Community centre booking ‘scam': Chandigarh mayor transfers staff, seeks probe
A day after the Chandigarh unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged a ₹100-crore scam in the booking of community centres meant to be available for free for the economically weaker sections (EWS), city mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla asked the municipal commissioner to initiate a formal vigilance inquiry into the matter. The mayor also transferred all staff working in the booking branch of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. The issue is expected to rock the MC House meeting on Tuesday. The mayor said the investigation was aimed at uncovering any irregularities, negligence or misconduct by the staff, and appropriate disciplinary measures will be taken based on the findings. The mayor stated that the move was essential to ensure transparency and improve the efficiency of the department, while also restoring public confidence and upholding administrative standards. The mayor assured that booking services will continue without disruption under the supervision of newly deputed staff. On Sunday, AAP party leaders had accused a nexus of middlemen, fake councillor endorsements and municipal staff of manipulating the booking process to illegally charge poor families between ₹26,000 and ₹55,000 per booking. Vikrant A Tanwar, media in-charge of AAP, Chandigarh, had alleged that the booking process—meant to be free for EWS applicants—was hijacked by impersonators using forged documents, fake councillor stamps and falsified signatures.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
AAP alleges ₹100-crore scam in community centre bookings, demands CBI probe
The Chandigarh unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has alleged a ₹100-crore scam in the booking of community centres meant to be available for free for the economically weaker sections (EWS). Addressing mediapersons on Sunday, the party leaders accused a nexus of middlemen, fake councillor endorsements and municipal staff of manipulating the booking process to illegally charge poor families between ₹26,000 and ₹55,000 per booking. Vikrant A Tanwar, media in-charge of AAP, Chandigarh, alleged that the booking process—meant to be free for EWS applicants—was hijacked by impersonators using forged documents, fake councillor stamps and falsified signatures. In one case, a resident of Sector 41 was allegedly charged ₹55,000 by a middleman who claimed he could offer a 'discounted rate' through internal contacts. The booking form was found to bear the forged signature and stamp of councillor Manur from Sector 56, who later confirmed no involvement. On the contrary, luxury weddings, featuring BMW and Mercedes vehicles, were hosted at these centres using fraudulent free-booking documents meant for the underprivileged, the party alleged. 'This is not just corruption—it's an organised loot of the rights of the poor,' said Tanwar. The party estimates the scam has cost the municipal corporation over ₹100 crore in the past five years. The AAP further alleged a failure of governance, stating that despite available digital systems, the continued reliance on manual file movement enabled large-scale manipulation. Demands CBI probe The party demanded a CBI or Vigilance Bureau probe into the matter, immediate suspension and FIRs against officials involved, complete digitisation of the booking system, a roll-back of proposed hike in booking rate, a five-year audit of all community centre bookings, and compensation and justice for affected families. 'The dignity of poor families has been trampled. This is not just a financial fraud—it's a moral failure. We will not rest until accountability is ensured,' the party stated. Former mayor alleges favouritism in horticulture waste project allotment Former mayor and BJP leader Anup Gupta has written to the MC chief engineer, seeking detailed clarification on how the city's horticulture waste management project was directly awarded to a public sector undertaking (PSU), M/s Hardicon Limited. In his letter, Gupta questioned whether any expression of interest (EOI) or request for proposal (RFP) was floated and whether the provisions of the General Financial Rules, Central Vigilance Commission guidelines, and the Manual of Procurement of Works were followed. Even after repeated attempts, MC chief engineer Sanjay Arora did not respond to calls and messages. Gupta also sought details on firm's technical and financial competence, raising concerns over the urgency that led to skipping competitive bidding. According to sources, the PSU applied on April 28, the proposal was prepared on April 29 and it was approved in the MC House on April 30. The project involves setting up a 60-tonne horticulture waste plant at an estimated cost of ₹3 crore, to be recovered by the company within a year through sale of processed material. The company will operate the plant for 10 years and retain all profits—while MC will earn nothing. Gupta has called it financially irresponsible, especially when the civic body is already facing a cash crunch. Moreover, questions have been raised over firm's experience in horticulture waste management, with reports suggesting the company may outsource the operations to a third party.
