AUGUST 2023 TENDER STALLED TILL 2026

AUGUST 2023 TENDER STALLED TILL 2026

25-JUNE-ENG 14

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA-------------------------------A serious case involving the sluggish pace of development work and administrative apathy has come to light in the Shahpur Nagar Panchayat of the district. Despite the tender process being completed in August 2023, the construction of the PCC road and drain remained stalled for a prolonged period, extending into February 2026. However, the contractor suddenly sprang into action and began making frequent visits to the municipal office immediately after a departmental letter was issued on February 25, 2026. The leniency shown by the officials responsible for Shahpur Nagar Panchayat in this matter has raised significant questions regarding the administration's functioning and departmental transparency.

An email with the relevant photograph was sent to the Bhojpur District Magistrate on March 2, 2026, highlighting work being carried out in violation of the Urban Development and Housing Department's directives (Letter No. 2390, dated February 25, 2026). While subsequent action was taken against unauthorized works in several wards, the road shown in the photograph—located in Ward No. 7—was spared from scrutiny during the investigation conducted by the 'Khabrein Aapki' team. The project involved earth filling, brick soling, PCC work, and drain construction on the route extending from the main road to Chandrashekhar Pandey's house, passing via the homes of Mohan Pandey and Shivaji Yadav.

It is worth noting that strict regulations exist to ensure the timely execution of development projects in urban local bodies. If a contractor fails to commence work within the stipulated timeframe, the municipality holds the authority to blacklist them and initiate disciplinary action. However, the situation in Shahpur Nagar Panchayat has been quite the opposite. Several contractors secured tenders, yet no work began on the ground even after months had passed. What is concerning is that the officials responsible for the Nagar Panchayat appeared to favor these contractors rather than taking action against them, naturally casting doubt on their working methods. The possibility of collusion between the department and the contractors behind this negligence cannot be ruled out. When the implementation of a project stalls for months while the administration remains a mute spectator, it is a clear indication of a lack of accountability. The fact that work on main roads did not commence until February 2026—despite the tender process having been completed in August 2023—represents the height of administrative lethargy.

A crucial legal and administrative aspect of this matter is the directive issued by the Urban Development and Housing Department, which mandated that all projects—including those valued up to ₹15 lakh—be executed via e-tendering, thereby eliminating the previous departmental execution process. A letter issued by the Department's Principal Secretary, Vinay Kumar, clarified that if work on a project had not yet begun, it would not be executed departmentally, nor would any new work order be issued.

The question now arises: given the clear government guidelines and the imperative to complete the 2023 tenders on time, how were works pending until February 2026 suddenly rushed to completion in March 2026? This constitutes not only a violation of government regulations but also a mockery of the transparency policy established by the department. Suddenly commencing and completing work after sitting on old tenders for an extended period casts serious doubt on the quality and impartiality of the execution.

The modus operandi of the Shahpur Nagar Panchayat amounts to a travesty of development at the public's expense. Local citizens are demanding an impartial inquiry into the entire affair to uncover the circumstances under which rules were bypassed and the projects were left in limbo for so long. They also seek to understand the basis on which the work was executed—in a substandard manner—in March 2026, even after the Urban Development and Housing Department had issued its directive, and why not even a signboard displaying the estimated cost was installed.