New Delhi: The Delhi government has scrapped its plans to procure two air-conditioned boats for VIPs and VVIPs at a cost of ₹6.2 crore and suspended two senior officials involved in the procurement, minister Parvesh Verma said on Thursday.
Accountability and Suspensions
In a swift move to address the fallout, Minister Verma confirmed that the tender process has been cancelled and an investigation is underway. Two senior officials—an executive engineer and an assistant engineer—have been suspended for their involvement. According to the minister, the officials issued the tenders without prior information or proper departmental clearance.
“We have cancelled the tender for the boats and are investigating the issue. The concerned engineers have been suspended for issuing tenders without prior notification,” Verma stated.
A day after a leading daily newspaper reported on the plans in its edition dated March 18, the minister ordered an inquiry into the previously issued tenders and “the circumstances under which they were issued.” The office of the I&FC minister said that directions were issued to the effect that “any future procurement of boats will be limited to essential functions of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, such as surveillance, pollution monitoring, and other operational requirements.”
The procurement plan, estimated at ₹6.2 crore (approximately ₹3.1 crore per vessel), had drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. The proposed 13-meter boats were designed to accommodate up to 20 people
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