Irregularities in Agra BSUP Housing Project Expose Deep Rot in Public Construction Practices
According to official findings, large-scale irregularities have been unearthed in the construction of residential buildings under the Centre’s Basic Services to Urban Poor (BSUP) scheme in Agra.
The project, executed in Kalindi Vihar by Construction Division – 29, Agra, has now come under intense scrutiny for shoddy construction and financial mismanagement.
Buildings Collapsing Under Greed, Not Just Weak Cement
Out of the total planned housing, 360 buildings in the first pocket were completed and allotted to beneficiaries.
However, the 272 buildings under construction in the second pocket revealed alarming flaws. Cracks were detected in the RCC columns, raising immediate concerns about the structural safety of the entire project.
An inquiry by IIT Roorkee confirmed the worst fears—several building blocks were declared unfit for human habitation, while the community centre and kiosks were deemed completely unusable. This meant that crores of rupees spent on construction had gone to waste.
The report highlighted a financial loss of over ₹5.25 crore (₹5,25,55,589.50) due to these irregularities, exposing how public money meant for housing the poor was squandered.
How Officials Compromised Safety for Commissions
What this case truly underscores is the widespread malpractice in government housing projects. Engineers and officials, driven by their lust for hefty commissions, often compromise on quality, ignoring safety standards and building codes. The result is that projects meant to uplift the poor instead become monuments of corruption.
This has created a deep mistrust among ordinary citizens. People hesitate to buy or live in flats constructed by government agencies because it is widely believed that such buildings are rarely built as per prescribed specifications.
The Agra BSUP case only reinforces this perception, showing how corruption can literally endanger lives.
Accountability and Recovery Orders
In response to the irregularities, a departmental inquiry has been launched against serving engineers, while explanatory notices have been sent to those who have retired. Strict action has also been initiated:
- Recovery of financial loss ordered from the then Assistant Engineers J. P. Garg and D. K. Sharma, and then Executive Engineer Roshan Lal Arya.
- Recovery from the pension of retired Assistant Engineer Satyendra Kumar Pachauri.
- Executive Engineer Neha Singh (then Assistant Engineer) has received an adverse entry in her service record, and deductions will be made from her salary to recover losses.
The Larger Lesson
This case is not just about one project in Agra—it is a stark reminder of systemic corruption in public construction. Unless accountability is enforced strictly and quality checks are made transparent, housing schemes for the poor will continue to collapse—both literally and figuratively—under the weight of greed.
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