₹4.55 crore biometric waste system unused in Dehradun, CAG finds

It assessed the performance of 22 projects and the management by Dehradun Smart City Limited (DSCL).

Who it concerns: Government of Uttarakhand, Dehradun Smart City Limited (DSCL), and implementing agencies including PWD, Uttarakhand Peyjal Sansadhan Vikas evam Nirmaan Nigam, and the Irrigation Department.

What the auditor found

• Wasteful expenditure of ₹4.55 crore on a biometric Solid Waste Management module that remained unutilised until February 2025.
• ₹5.91 crore spent on 'Smart Solutions' (interactive boards, labs, CCTV) in three government schools that remained non-functional due to high electricity bills.
• Wasteful expenditure of ₹2.62 crore on environmental sensors and ₹3.24 crore on Multi Utility Duct.
• Irregularities of ₹5.19 crore in payments to the Project Management Consultant (PMC), including procurement violations and reimbursement without documentation.
• Loss of interest of ₹6.20 crore and non-recovery of ₹0.81 crore interest on mobilisation advance.
• Failure to recover ₹19.06 crore of unutilised amounts from implementing agencies.
• Cost escalation of ₹10.34 crore and execution of work costing ₹2.93 crore without inviting tenders.
• Project delays ranging from 19 to 38 months due to lack of hindrance-free work fronts and coordination issues.
• Recommendations include fixing responsibility for inefficient use of funds, ensuring sustainable operation of infrastructure, and recovering unutilised amounts.

Also in the document

• CAG found that a biometric waste management system costing ₹4.55 crore was developed in March 2022 but remained unutilised until February 2025.
• CAG noted that 'Smart Solutions' installed in schools at a cost of ₹5.91 crore were non-functional because schools could not afford the electricity bills.
• CAG reported that DSCL failed to recover ₹19.06 crore from implementing agencies and did not effectively impose or enforce penalties of ₹1.41 crore for project delays.
• CAG observed that the payment structure for the Project Management Consultant lacked milestone-based payments, leading to payments for incomplete projects.