Navi Mumbai: CIDCO Faces Allegations Of Spending Over ₹60 Lakh On Unauthorized Parking Infrastructure, Action Demanded Against Officials

Navi Mumbai: CIDCO has allegedly spent over Rs 60 lakh on the development of unauthorized parking spaces. The findings are part of a response availed by a Navi Mumbai based organisation through Right to Information Act and action is being sought against the officials.

The RTI was filed by Sajag Nagrik Manch, Navi Mumbai. In an earlier RTI the organisation had questioned the ownership of the parking area in front of the CIDCO headquarters.

“The response given to the RTI revealed that the land didn’t belong to CIDCO. Thus it raised the question about the costs incurred by CIDCO this included laying of paver blocks, installation of CCTV cameras, construction of protective walls, and installation of iron gates,” said the founder of the association Sudhir Dani.

Based on these concerns, an RTI application was filed on September 3, 2024, with CIDCO's Executive Engineer Department, seeking details about the expenses incurred for the parking infrastructure in front of CIDCO headquarters. “CIDCO is informed to have had spent over ₹60 lakh on unauthorized infrastructure development,” said the member

As per the response given, the expenses were found to include Rs 2.6 lakh for a compound wall near RBI Bank, Rs 4 lakh for curbing stones and paver blocks at the two-wheeler parking area, Rs 5 lakh for excavation and debris removal for the parking space, Rs 4.2 lakh for maintenance of the parking area, Rs 9 lakh for concreting in two phases, and Rs 9.5 lakh for installing paver blocks while expanding the parking near Park Hotel and Kapas Bhavan.

Additionally, CIDCO reported that Rs 52 lakh had been spent on installing and maintaining CCTV cameras for two years, which was also said to cover the parking lot CCTV expenses.

The expenditure on encroached, unauthorized land is informed to be a violation of administrative rules and financial mismanagement. “Administrative action is required against CIDCO officials in the Engineering Department who approved the expenditure on land CIDCO does not own. Action should also be taken against officials in the accounts department who approved payments for these unauthorized expenses. Moreover, the total amount spent on the unauthorized parking infrastructure should be recovered from the responsible officials,” said Dani.