Chandigarh MC chief initiates penal action against engineer over tender bungling

Municipal commissioner Anindita Mitra on Friday issued a chargesheet under major penalties against one of civic body’s executive engineer in a tender-related case.
The UT administration had asked the commissioner to expedite initiation of a major penalty proceeding againstKuldeep Singh, after vigilance had pointed out discrepancies.
The action was first initiated in 2021 when vigilance had written to the local government secretary and had pointed out, “During the inquiry by the vigilance department, it has been found that in the tender in question allotted to Sawhney Electricals, EMD, in the shape of bank guarantee to the tune of ₹12.5 lakh has been accepted even though the terms and conditions of the DNIT does not contain the word Bank Guarantee. However, the concerned department took the plea that as per relevant section, the bank guarantee and FDRs issued by a bank are acceptable.”
“On the other hand, the same engineer Kuldeep Singh, in another tender did not accept the EMD in the shape of FDR from Jyoti Electricals on the grounds that the mode of earnest money was submitted not as per condition of tender notice. As per tender documents it was in utter disregard of the relevant,” the vigilance department said.
However, no penalty was imposed on the engineer, forcing the administration to send a fresh notice on Friday.
In the letter to the commissioner, the department said, “Initiate the action taken report to this administration, today positively, as directed by UT adviser to the administrator. Your response has been found to be not in order as per the directions given by UT adviser to the administrator-cum-chief vigilance officer.”
Following this, Mitra said, “The executive engineer has been chargesheeted under major penalties.”
Kuldeep, who is on a deputation in the MC from the UT engineering department, was also suspended in March this year after the sound system had malfunctioned during at inauguration of the tertiary treated water project.
When contacted, Singh was unable to comment on the issue.