Kumari Selja claimed the condition of the expressway had exposed what she described as the reality behind the BJP’s development claims.
Image: IANS
Congress leader and Sirsa MP Kumari Selja on Thursday alleged that the reported deterioration of the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway soon after its inauguration reflected corruption, poor construction standards and mismanagement under the BJP governments at the Centre and in Haryana.
In a statement, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary, Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and former Union Minister questioned the quality of the expressway, which was built at an estimated cost of around ₹12,000 crore. She alleged that the emergence of large potholes within a short period of its inauguration raised serious concerns about the execution and monitoring of major public infrastructure projects.
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Selja claimed the condition of the expressway had exposed what she described as the reality behind the BJP’s development claims. According to her, the government’s focus appeared to be on “earning commissions at the cost of public money” rather than ensuring durable and quality infrastructure for citizens.
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दिल्ली-देहरादून एक्सप्रेसवे भाजपा सरकार के भ्रष्टाचार का जीता-जागता उदाहरण बन गया है।
लगभग ₹12,000 करोड़ की लागत से बना यह एक्सप्रेसवे उद्घाटन के कुछ ही समय बाद बड़े-बड़े गड्ढों में तब्दील होने लगा। यह साफ दिखाता है कि जनता के टैक्स के पैसे से बनने वाली परियोजनाओं में गुणवत्ता… pic.twitter.com/Jhn3xJraYD
— Kumari Selja (@Kumari_Selja) July 2, 2026
The Congress MP further alleged that incidents involving damaged roads, collapsed bridges, structural defects in newly constructed highways and failures at public infrastructure facilities pointed to deeper shortcomings in the implementation of development projects. She claimed that despite repeated announcements highlighting infrastructure growth, the situation on the ground painted a different picture.
Targeting both the Union Government and the Haryana Government, Selja alleged that corruption had spread across multiple departments during the BJP’s tenure. She also claimed that inflation, unemployment and corruption continued to be major concerns, while people were facing difficulties in obtaining routine public services.
The senior Congress leader further alleged that the BJP governments were giving greater importance to publicity than accountability. She said projects showcased as symbols of development were beginning to show structural deficiencies within a short period, raising questions over transparency and quality control in public works.
Selja maintained that strict adherence to quality standards and transparent execution could have prevented the alleged wastage of thousands of crores of taxpayers’ money. She urged the governments to prioritise accountability, quality infrastructure and transparent governance, asserting that people expected long-lasting public assets rather than what she described as a legacy of corruption, commission-taking and substandard construction.
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