The Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) findings of a 13-fold cost hike in the construction of the Dwarka Expressway is erroneous, said a senior official of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, adding that the project was awarded after a “transparent” bidding process.
The CAG report, made public on August 10, on Phase-1 of the Bharatmala Programme for building national highways in the country, stated that the Dwarka Expressway was being built at a cost of ₹250.77 crore per kilometre as against the Union Cabinet approved costing of ₹18.20 crore, which has now been refuted by the Road Ministry. The 14-lane expressway includes an eight-lane elevated road and is being developed as four different packages, and is expected to be fully completed by January, 2024.
