Chandigarh, Oct. 27 -- Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari has written to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), K Sanjay Murthy, demanding a detailed performance audit of the 24x7 Smart City Water Supply Project, particularly its pilot phase in Manimajra. Tewari's letter comes amid ongoing concerns over alleged corruption, financial irregularities and poor execution of the project. The UT vigilance department, in July, had already initiated a probe into the pilot, following a complaint by Chandigarh BJP president Jatinder Pal Malhotra, who had written to Union home minister Amit Shah alleging large-scale corruption in its implementation. The home minister had inaugurated the pilot phase with great fanfare in August 2024, yet residents are still waiting for the promised round-the-clock water supply. The total expenditure for this pan-city project is pegged at Rs.510 crore, including a Rs.412-crore loan by French government's Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD) and a Rs.98-crore grant by the European Union. In his communication, Tewari stressed the urgent need for an independent audit to examine financial prudence, implementation efficiency and governance accountability in the project. The MP pointed out that the Manimajra pilot project, implemented at a cost of Rs.166.06 crore under the Smart City Fund, had been a complete failure. "Despite tall claims, not a single area in Manimajra receives continuous or high-pressure water supply," he said, adding that residents continued to complain of foul-smelling, dirty water and faulty water meters. According to Tewari, residents receive water for only two to four hours a day, which was often contaminated and unfit for use. He highlighted that MC officials themselves had admitted that although the project was meant to enhance water supply, the actual quantity of water reaching households had not improved. He also noted that MC officials were now proposing to scrap the citywide expansion of the project, calling it financially unviable. While official reports claim the supply duration increased from 9 to 18 hours daily and 12,700 smart meters were installed, Tewari said the ground reality painted a different picture. The Rs.412-crore AFD loan taken in 2022 was projected to almost double due to inflation. Consequently, water tariffs may also need to be raised significantly to meet repayment obligations, burdening city residents, he said. Tewari alleged that the vigilance inquiry into the project had been compromised, with incomplete documentation submitted by MC and efforts reportedly made to derail the investigation. He further noted that no third-party audit of the water quality or service standards had been conducted so far. Citing these irregularities, Tewari urged the CAG to immediately conduct a detailed performance audit to ensure transparency, accountability and proper utilisation of public funds....