Expressing shock over the cost of construction at Delhi’s Lok Nayak Hospital on Wednesday, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva wondered how a project that began with an approved budget of Rs 465 crore could escalate by Rs 670 crore.

He alleged that the Kejriwal Government without mandatory approval from the concerned authority raised the cost of the project by 1.5 times.

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He further said that even a common man knows that tender values are up to 10 per cent above the actual cost and likewise initial cost too must have had a budget cushion in this regard. Hence, it is surprising to note that the Delhi government raised the cost of the project.

Sachdeva said following reports of scams in Delhi government projects, the people of the city apprehend that increased budget could have gone into kickbacks to the AAP, he claimed. Hence, they expect the government to explain what had caused the alleged abnormal rise of the budget in the construction at LNJP hospital.

He further said that Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj should come forward with a justification for the cost overrun.

Sachdeva’s allegation came a day after Delhi LG VK Saxena asked the Vigilance Department to request the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to examine the alleged cost overrun in the construction work of an additional block at Lok Nayak Hospital.

Saxena has also constituted a committee to examine the procedural violations that led to cost escalation, Raj Niwas sources had said.