Ex-councillor seeks details on GMADA stadiums

Reported by dayandnightnews.com on August 28, 2012
Ex-councillor seeks details on GMADA stadiums | Day & Night News

GMADA came up with a shockingly terse reply to a former MC councillor’s query on the stadiums under construction. All the Authority deigned to divulge was that the stadiums would be ready by September 2012. Well, what else? Nothing.

Former Mohali MC Councillor, Kuljit Bedi asked GMADA for details about the stadiums it is supposedly constructing under the provisions of the Right To Information Act. GMADA duly replied but the reply is a classic of verbal economy: it says “GMADA is building seven stadiums which should be complete by September 2012.” And that is all. But where are these stadiums located? And in what stage of construction are they now? GMADA’s reply has left nobody wiser.

Bedi says that according to his information, about a year ago GMADA announced that it would start construction in July 11 and finish within eight months. Since GMADA’s RTI reply now mentions September 2012 that means the work is behind schedule by about six months.

Bedi put a further question to GMADA: Every government contract has a delay penalty. If the contractors are six months behind schedule have they been penalized? GMADA’s RTI reply to this is that it has taken no action against the contractors because it does not have the right to take action.

Bedi is no stranger to the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He is a veteran of numerous PIL petitions. Now he is getting ready to champion the cause of budding sportsmen with no place to play.

GMADA be warned … after the RTI, it now looks like a PIL is headed your way.