Cabinet min alleges graft in govt’s mega reconstruction projects in city

Jaipur: In a letter addressed to CM Bhajan Lal Sharma, cabinet minister Kirori Lal Meena has accused govt officials of violating regulations, undervaluing property costs, and colluding with the private entity involved in the reconstitution projects of Old MREC campus and Government Colony in Gandhi Nagar area of Jaipur.
The letter, dated May 14, says that the projects entail the construction of six 18-storey towers under a public-private partnership (PPP) by demolishing the existing structures on 17,000 square feet of land.Meena said the projects were undertaken without necessary permissions from the finance department, the state cabinet, and the chief minister, causing a loss of Rs 1,146 crore to the state exchequer.
Notably, the structures to be demolished primarily house judges, IAS and IPS officers, government doctors, junior officers, and government offices.
Meena accused a state subsidiary, the Real Estate Development and Construction Corporation of Rajasthan (REDCC), of connivance with govt officials to mint “black” money by devaluing the cost of the projects. The REDCC, along with a private entity, is involved in the projects.
Meena alleged discrepancies in cost estimation, pointing out that the estimated cost of Rs 8,000 per square foot for the total 17,000 square feet significantly contrasted with the market rate of Rs 25,000 per square foot. Meena also cited the reduction from Rs 277 crore allocated in 2018 by former CM Vasundhara Raje to Rs 218 crore in 2024 by the Bhajan Lal Sharma govt, despite the need for increased funding due to inflation and other factors.
Of the planned 298 flats in the six towers, two towers with 108 flats in premium locations had been allocated to the private entity, Meena claimed.
“The project was previously halted during the Gehlot government (2018–2023) but was revived by the general administration department soon after the Bhajan Lal Sharma govt came to power. My understanding is that CM Sharma was kept in the dark by a coterie of officials who had affiliations with the previous Gehlot govt,” said Meena to TOI.
Addressing concerns about challenging his own government, Meena referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to zero tolerance for corruption. He emphasized the necessity of the chief minister’s intervention to investigate and halt the scheme in Gandhi Nagar, stressing that the sale or transfer of govt land requires approval from the finance minister, cabinet, and chief minister, especially when the land is residential and not commercial.