A group of AAP party leaders and activists, notably including Priyanka Kakkar, the chief national spokesperson, and Reena Gupta, convened near the Dwarka Expressway Highway to protest against the alleged irregularities pointed out in a CAG report. The demonstration was prompted by their belief that the project might be involved in what they described as a "scam".
New Delhi: Today, members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) staged a protest at the ongoing construction site of the Dwarka Expressway. This demonstration was sparked by recent reports that highlighted a substantial increase in construction costs, a matter that was flagged by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in relation to the expressway’s development.
Prominent figures within the AAP, including Priyanka Kakkar, the chief national spokesperson, and Reena Gupta, were among the party leaders and workers who gathered near the Dwarka Expressway Highway to voice their concerns. They alleged that the entire project was tainted by what they referred to as a “scam,” suggesting improprieties and financial irregularities.
The focus of the controversy lies in the revelation that the construction cost for the Dwarka Expressway, initially approved at Rs 18 crore per kilometer, ultimately escalated to an astonishing Rs 251 crore per kilometer. This drastic increase in expenses was attributed to the decision made by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to pursue an elevated carriageway on the Haryana portion of the expressway, as part of Phase-I of the ‘Bharatmala Pariyojana’ highway projects.
Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader, Arvind Kejriwal, had previously accused the central government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of reaching unprecedented levels of corruption. In response, the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways vehemently denied these allegations, characterizing them as a “gross misrepresentation of facts.”
The protest symbolizes the AAP’s determination to bring attention to the alleged irregularities and discrepancies in the construction of the Dwarka Expressway, as highlighted by the CAG report. It also underscores the ongoing political and public discourse surrounding the project’s financial management and decision-making processes.
