Delhi: The IAS officer got the historic building demolished to make a government bungalow! vigilance department issued show cause notice
The vigilance department has issued a show-cause notice to Udit Prakash (IAS), former CEO of Delhi Jal Board, for demolishing a part of Mahal of Pathan (historic building) in Jal Vihar of Lajpat Nagar in the capital Delhi to build his official bungalow. The officer, currently posted in Mizoram, has been asked to respond to the notice in two weeks. It is alleged that he went against the rules and approved the construction of a government bungalow while being the CEO of the Jal Board. The bungalow was not vacated even after the transfer. According to the notice issued by the Vigilance Department, Delhi Jal Board has built a bungalow at DTC Bus Depot Jal Vihar Shiv Mandir Marg Lajpat Nagar.
There were two parts of the Mahal of Pathan when it was built. A part of it was demolished, while the Archaeological Department of Delhi Government marked the Palace of Pathan on 11 December 2020 to be preserved as a historical building. Also asked to give that part of the land by writing a letter to the Jal Board on 19 January 2021. Even after this, while being the CEO of Jal Board, IAS Udit Prakash approved the construction of a bungalow. This work was done so quickly that in May 2022, he himself started living in this bungalow as Jal Board CEO. Even today the bungalow is in his possession, while he has been transferred to Mizoram.
The bungalow has not been vacated even after the notice was issued by the Jal Board. Archaeological Department, Water Board and Vigilance Department visited him on January 9, 2023 on the complaint. The photographs taken by the Archaeological Department revealed that there were two structures of the Palace of Pathan, out of which one was demolished.
Took a bigger accommodation than the rules
It has been said in the notice that according to the rank held by Udit Prakash when he was the CEO of Jal Board, he should get Type-5 government accommodation. Its size is 106 sqm. If there is a servant’s room, it may be 144 square meters, but he was living in a bungalow built on more than 670 square meters. The entire land situated at Jal Vihar is of 5500 sqm, in which one part is Mahal of Pathan.
