While seven Uttar Pradesh Housing and Development Board (UPHDB) engineers had recently been suspended for delaying work, a government order on construction of approach roads to houses in several districts under the scheme have created panic among the engineers of the Public Works department (PWD). According to the order issued on January 16, approach roads are to be constructed in Farrukhabad (2.55 km), Gorakhpur (2.05 km) and in Hardoi, Siddarth Nagar, Etawah, Sant Kabir Nagar, Mainpuri and Kannauj (32.06 km).

“As per standard norms, it takes over one month to construct a 1-km road. Prior to this, at least a month is required for the tendering process. But engineers have been asked to construct the roads by January 31,” said S S Niranjan, general secretary of Uttar Pradesh Engineers Association (UPEA).

“If the engineers do not complete work on time, they will be suspended for delaying the completion of the project. And if they try to meet the deadline, work will not be as per the standards. The engineers will be punished for that as well,” he added.

The UPEA has written to the state government and PWD engineer-in-chief Tribhuvan Ram to provide at least three months time to complete construction work. Ram was not available for comment. The UPEA has also demanded an extension of time for the construction of 1.01 lakh houses in 71 districts. The official deadline for the project was February 28.

“For construction of a three-storeyed house, at least one-and-a-half-year is required. Land acquisition and tendering is under process at several districts,” said Gyaneshwar Prasad, general secretary of UPHDB engineers association.

According to sources, at least 10 acre was required in Kanshiram Nagar, Maharajganj, Kushi Nagar and Siddarth Nagar districts for the project. But at present, only half of the required land has been handed over for work to begin. Likewise, in 22 districts, land was provided in the last week of November 2008 and construction has begun a few weeks ago.