Cracks in Secretariat Project Raise Alarm, Government Orders Urgent Probe
A high-profile construction project in Himachal Pradesh has come under scrutiny after cracks and quality lapses were detected in the under-construction office building meant for the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary near the State Secretariat’s main gate. The discovery has prompted the government to order an immediate probe.
Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh on Monday directed officials of the Public Works Department (PWD) to submit a detailed report within 24 hours. He stressed that there would be no compromise on construction quality and warned of strict action against any officer found responsible for the irregularities.
The issue surfaced after the Quality Control and Design team under the Chief Engineer (Project) inspected the site. Their inspection revealed deficiencies in the steel cover used in the building’s columns and visible cracks on the upper edges of the B-row columns.
According to the inspection report, the multi-storey building—being constructed at a cost of nearly ₹19.72 crore—was not fully in line with prescribed standards. Mandatory testing of steel and concrete had not been carried out, and the curing process was found to be unsatisfactory.
Signed by senior engineers of the State PWD, the report described the cracks as a serious matter and recommended corrective measures. Following this, PWD officials have been instructed to treat the construction work with utmost seriousness. Another inspection is scheduled for January 20 to review compliance with the recommendations.
The lapses in such a high-value government project have raised questions about internal monitoring and accountability within the Public Works Department, putting the spotlight on the need for stricter quality checks in state infrastructure projects.
