By Chandan Singh | Page 3 News Worldwide | New Delhi
New Delhi: Responding to allegations raised by Delhi Pradesh Aam Aadmi Party president Saurabh Bharadwaj, BJP Delhi Pradesh spokesperson Shubhendu Shekhar Awasthi mounted a strong defence of the Delhi Government’s procurement processes and recent action against alleged irregularities and unsafe buildings.
Awasthi dismissed Bharadwaj’s allegations as politically motivated, alleging that the AAP governments had been associated with corruption for 11–12 years. He challenged Bharadwaj to substantiate his claims in court rather than raising them through television appearances.
On the controversy surrounding bicycles supplied to girl students under the Vidya Vahini scheme, Awasthi explained that the procurement was conducted through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) tendering system. He said the government specified its requirements, vendors submitted bids and the order was placed with the lowest bidder meeting the prescribed specifications.
Defending the price of the bicycles, Awasthi said the government had opted for high-specification, geared bicycles designed to be durable and suitable for schoolchildren. He claimed that bicycles available in the market for around ₹8,500–₹9,000 were procured for approximately ₹7,000 through the tender process.
Drawing an analogy with mobile phones, he said products with similar specifications could command substantially different prices depending on their brand and other factors. He argued that comparing the government’s tendered procurement price with individual retail prices was therefore misleading.
Awasthi also rejected allegations concerning stickers placed on the bicycles, saying that items supplied against government requirements were subject to verification and that vendors found guilty of malpractice would face action.
Turning to allegations concerning the Health Department, Awasthi claimed that irregularities involving individuals were detected during a tender process. He said the procurement system itself was not deficient, but alleged wrongdoing by certain individuals had prompted action.
According to Awasthi, people were suspended and officials arrested following the findings, with investigations continuing. He asserted that the BJP-led government would take action against anyone found exploiting the system, irrespective of their connections.
On allegations relating to rice and paying-guest (PG) accommodation, Awasthi addressed the recent building collapse in Delhi and said the BJP Government could not be held responsible for the original construction of the structure. However, he said the government accepted responsibility for taking corrective measures following the incident.
He said the building dated back to 1970 and claimed that structures originally authorised as ground-floor homes with limited additional construction had subsequently been expanded substantially. Such older buildings, he said, may not have been designed with modern structural columns and beams to support additional floors.
Questioning the previous AAP government’s record, Awasthi asked why action had not been taken against allegedly unsafe structures during its 11-year tenure.
He further claimed that approximately 465 buildings had been demolished and around 2,000 buildings sealed over the preceding four to five months after being identified as potentially unsafe or vulnerable to collapse.
Awasthi said the Delhi Government was also preparing a broader action plan for PG accommodation. The proposed approach, he said, would identify suitable locations where PG facilities could be developed on a larger scale while ensuring compliance with prescribed safety standards.
He added that such accommodation would be planned with access to Delhi Metro and bus services, enabling students arriving in the capital for education to travel conveniently.
Awasthi said provisions had been made by the Lieutenant Governor in this direction and expressed confidence that the measures would contribute to a steadily improving Delhi.
The BJP spokesperson maintained that the government’s focus was on enforcing accountability, strengthening procurement procedures, addressing unsafe buildings and developing regulated accommodation facilities rather than merely trading allegations in the media.
