Nagpur: The Maharashtra State Government had decided several years ago to acquire a multi-storey building, called Poonam Tower, located opposite the Vidhan Bhavan, citing security concerns. However, the acquisition process has been significantly delayed due to bureaucratic inefficiency and internal lapses within the Public Works Department (PWD).
The building, deemed a potential security risk, has remained unused for nearly two decades. The government had proposed to purchase the structure, and the owner had agreed to the deal long ago. The responsibility of acquisition and valuation was handed over to the PWD.
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15 july 2025
Initially, PWD’s Division-1 conducted an audit and estimated the building’s value at Rs 60.91 crore. Dissatisfied with the offer, the owner demanded a reassessment. A second audit raised the valuation to Rs 69.23 crore, yet no agreement could be reached. As a result, the government ordered a third-party audit to ensure transparency and fairness.
The task of initiating the third-party audit was assigned to PWD Division-2. However, instead of acting on the file, the division returned it to Division-1 without taking any action. This lapse drew the ire of the Superintendent Engineer (SE), who expressed serious displeasure and flagged the matter for immediate attention. Notably, it was found that Division-2 had not even reviewed the SE’s remarks before sending the file back.
The newly appointed Executive Engineer, who was unaware of the case’s details, was briefed by the SE and subsequently assigned the responsibility to a Branch Engineer.
Fresh audit underway, valuation expected soon
Following the intervention, a Branch Engineer from Division-2 visited the site and carried out a fresh audit. A new valuation process is now in progress, and officials indicate that the updated estimate of the building’s worth could be finalized shortly.
This episode has once again highlighted the slow pace of government machinery, where inter-departmental delays and oversight can derail long-pending decisions, even those involving public safety and substantial financial implications.
