A proposal to spend over ₹37 lakh on the “development” of an already well-maintained park in the Atam Nagar constituency has triggered controversy, with senior civic functionaries seeking action against officials responsible for preparing the estimate.
The issue came to light during a recent meeting of the Finance and Contracts Committee (F&CC), where deputy mayor Prince Johar objected to a proposal for repair work at Ram Park. He pointed out that the park was already in good condition and questioned the need for further expenditure. Following the objection, the resolution was dropped.
Subsequently, a joint inspection of the park was conducted in the presence of the MC Commissioner, Neeru Katyal Gupta, and other officials. The inspection confirmed that the park did not require any major work, reinforcing concerns over the justification of the estimate.
Notably, the proposal lacked details regarding the nature of the work to be carried out. Even during the meeting, officials were unable to clearly explain the components of the ₹37.25 lakh estimate, raising questions over transparency and due diligence.
Sources said the proposal may have included minor works such as raising the boundary wall to prevent entry of stray animals and replacing damaged tiles. However, officials maintained that no funds were spent as the work was halted in time.
Senior deputy mayor Rakesh Prashar termed the matter serious and sought accountability, adding that public funds should not be wasted on unnecessary projects. He also raised concerns that similar proposals approved earlier may need review.
The MC commissioner said the proposal was withdrawn after verification and that funds would be utilised where genuinely required.
