Chandigarh: The department of urban planning has failed to recover over ₹18 lakh from various government departments for the design of multiple buildings, according to a report by the director general of audit (Central), Chandigarh.
The urban planning department comprises the architecture and town planning wings. The architecture wing is tasked with designing government-standard structures, while the town planning wing implements the Chandigarh Master Plan, manages land allocation, and prepares zonal plans.
It also handles project approvals, building plan scrutiny, and collaborates with other states and central government public sector undertakings. The audit, covering records from April 1, 2017, to March 31, 2024, revealed that ₹18,41,935, including departmental charges and applicable GST, remained uncollected from various departments and institutions for building design services as of March 31, 2024.
Activist RK Garg obtained the report under the RTI Act, which indicated that ₹3.34 lakh were owed by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), ₹26,781 by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and ₹14.81 lakh by the municipal corporation.
Moreover, the audit found that the department incurred an unnecessary expenditure of ₹1.11 lakh on vehicle insurance, violating existing regulations.
