After termination of PSPCL director Harjit Singh, Punjab government has now accepted the resignation of Technical Advisor to Chief Minister, Ravi Chawla, who was appointed to vet tenders of buildings and roads worth over Rs 2.50 crore. The government has now asked the heads of various departments to take it upon themselves to vet the tenders and expedite the works.
Chawla, who was appointed Technical Advisor to CM in June 2024 after his retirement as chief engineer, is learnt to have been asked by a senior official of the government to put in his papers. Sources said that Chawla tendered his resignation Wednesday, which was a gazetted holiday on account of Guru Nanak Dev’s Gurpurab. His resignation was accepted the same day.
Soon after, it is learnt that the government has asked administrative secretaries of the departments concerned to do the vetting on their own. An official of the government said that several secretaries had complained about Chawla that he was sitting on too many files and the works were getting delayed.
The post of Technical Advisor was created by former CM Parkash Singh Badal after coming to power in 2007 with a view to have a “check” on the tenders worth over Rs 2.50 crore. No tender worth this amount was floated unless it got a nod from the Technical Advisor, who had direct access to the CM. Lt Gen (Retd) BS Dhaliwal was the first Technical Advisor. His role involved providing technical expertise, including vetting tenders, overseeing infrastructure projects, and ensuring technical standards and quality control in government projects. After Badal’s successor took over the reins of the state in 2017, he continued with Lt Gen Dhaliwal until December 31, 2018. Later, former Chief Engineer RS Sandhu was appointed. He was replaced by AAP government by appointing Chawla in his place.
Chawla, who retired as chief engineer in Punjab PWD last year. He had remained on key postings as chief engineer (National Highway), remained technical advisor to MD, PIDB in addition to nodal officer of CRF (Central Road Fund) and railways.
Chawla has been shown the door after the government took action against two more technocrats this week. They include Director (Generation) Harjit Singh , who was terminated and Chief Engineer of Guru Gobind Singh Thermal Plant, Ropar, Harish Sharma, who was put under suspension.
