Chandigarh, June 3:- Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has taken serious note of the deficiencies and irregularities identified during technical audits conducted by the Quality Assurance Authority across various engineering departments of the state. The Chief Minister made it clear that ensuring quality, accountability, and transparency in public infrastructure projects is the government's highest priority, and that departments concerned must take immediate action on the observations and findings of the Quality Assurance Authority.
Following a review of the audit findings, three officials of the Public Works Department (Buildings and Roads) and three officials of the Development and Panchayats Department have been suspended. In addition, show-cause notices have been issued to several other officials from different departments. In a case related to the Haryana Police Housing Corporation, recovery proceedings have also been initiated against the concerned contractor due to deficiencies in the quality of work.
The Chief Minister was presiding over a meeting of the Quality Assurance Authority in Chandigarh recently. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, Quality Assurance Authority Chairman Rajeev Arora, administrative secretaries of various departments, and senior officials.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister directed all departments to treat technical audits conducted by the Authority with utmost seriousness and ensure that quality remains the top priority at every stage of project planning, design, construction, and maintenance.
Chairman Rajeev Arora informed the meeting through a presentation that the Authority had conducted technical audits of projects related to buildings, roads, irrigation, public health, and power sectors. The audits covered 18 projects of the Public Works Department, 5 of the Public Health Engineering Department, 4 of the Irrigation Department, 14 of the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board, 3 of the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation, 3 of the Haryana Urban Development Authority, 1 of the Haryana Police Housing Corporation, 7 of Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Limited, 4 of the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority, 1 of the Faridabad Metropolitan Development Authority, 2 of the Urban Local Bodies Department, and 2 of the Development and Panchayats Department.
The presentation highlighted various deficiencies and quality-related shortcomings with supporting evidence. The Chief Minister directed all concerned departments to take immediate corrective and remedial measures to address every deficiency identified by the Authority. He also ordered that accountability be fixed on responsible officials, employees, and agencies, and that recoveries be made from contractors wherever necessary.
Officials informed the Chief Minister that several departments had already initiated disciplinary action against erring officials and recovery proceedings against contractors.
The Chairman of the Quality Assurance Authority also presented the future action plan, under which major engineering projects will be evaluated at different stages on parameters such as socio-economic impact, cost-benefit analysis, and long-term utility. Appreciating the initiative, the Chief Minister directed the Authority to further develop the framework in consultation with concerned departments and stakeholders.
Reviewing earlier decisions, the Chief Minister instructed all engineering departments to prepare project designs and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) at the departmental level or, where necessary, engage only those consultants empanelled by the Quality Assurance Authority. He clarified that consultants would provide only technical support, while the final responsibility for project designs and DPRs would remain with the departments.
He further directed that Third-Party Inspection and Monitoring Agencies be mandatorily appointed for all projects falling within the prescribed category. However, the ultimate responsibility for project quality would continue to rest with the concerned departments.
To enhance transparency and provide citizens with easy access to project information, the Chief Minister directed that QR codes containing project details be displayed at every construction site. He also called for preventing unnecessary fragmentation of projects.
Addressing the issue of waterlogging and drainage in urban areas, the Chief Minister instructed departments to ensure proper drainage provisions while preparing project designs and DPRs. Keeping the upcoming monsoon season in view, he directed the Additional Chief Secretary of the Public Works Department to quickly assign responsibilities for the construction of roadside drains along roads passing through municipal areas, HSVP sectors, and rural regions.
To improve the quality and durability of the state's road network, he directed that milled material obtained from road construction works be reused in accordance with the specifications prescribed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. He also instructed officials to identify, demarcate, and secure rights-of-way along canals.
The meeting also reviewed the Dynamic Bridge Management System and maintenance framework being developed by the Public Works Department, as well as the quality monitoring policy for high-rise buildings and private infrastructure projects being prepared by the Town and Country Planning Department. The Chief Minister directed that both initiatives be finalized and implemented at the earliest.
Rajeev Arora informed the meeting that large-scale training and capacity-building programmes are being organized to familiarize engineering department officials with modern technologies and engineering practices. The Chief Minister also directed that special training programmes be organized for senior officers.
Concluding the meeting, the Chief Minister reiterated that the Haryana Government is fully committed to ensuring the highest standards of quality, transparency, and accountability in public infrastructure projects. He emphasized that public funds must be utilized responsibly and efficiently and that all departments should adopt modern technologies, best engineering practices, and robust quality-control mechanisms.
In clear terms, he stated that all departments, officials, consultants, contractors, and implementing agencies must understand that any compromise with the quality of public projects will not be tolerated. Quality must remain the foremost priority at every stage—from planning and design to construction and maintenance—and accountability will be fixed for any negligence.
He further directed all departments to ensure timely compliance with the observations and recommendations of the Quality Assurance Authority, stating that this would strengthen accountability, enhance public trust, and further improve the quality of infrastructure development across Haryana.