MOHALI: Allegations of misuse of public funds and favouritism have surfaced after the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GAMADA) invited bids to hand over the maintenance of 83 km of major Mohali roads at a staggering cost of ₹10 crore per kilometre, even as the tenure of the AAP government is set to end in about a year.
What has raised further eyebrows is that the bids have been invited for a long 10-year period, far exceeding the remaining term of the present government. Critics argue that committing public funds for a decade just months before the end of the government’s tenure amounts to binding future governments to an expensive and controversial contract.
GAMADA has branded the project as the “Mohali Next Generation Roads Programme”, under which a single private company is expected to take over repair, upgradation and long-term maintenance of key arterial roads, including those in Aerocity, IT City and other fast-growing sectors of the city. A pre-bid meeting is scheduled for January 19, after which tenders are likely to be finalised.
The total project cost is expected to be around 800 crore, making it one of the costliest road maintenance initiatives ever undertaken in Punjab. Urban experts have questioned how routine road maintenance can justify such a high per-kilometre expenditure when similar projects elsewhere cost significantly less.
Adding to the controversy, it is alleged that the tender conditions have been framed in a manner that would effectively disqualify most Punjab-based contractors. Sources claim that the AAP government is expected to award the contract to a Delhi-based firm, fuelling accusations of favouritism and political patronage.
Government officials, however, maintain that the project follows a public-private partnership (PPP) model and is aimed at ensuring world-class roads, better durability and accountability. They argue that private players will be bound by strict performance parameters, with penalties for poor quality work.