BJP accuses TMC of selling Howrah Municipal building at 'water price' to private body, 500-crore scam unearthed

The Howrah district unit of the BJP has leveled serious allegations of corruption against the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led board of the Howrah Municipality. According to the allegations, a 500-crore rupee contract was signed with a private company between 2013 and 2018 to construct a 22-storey building on government land. The plan included multiple municipal offices, private cabins, and a helipad on the roof. However, the BJP claims the project was compromised, resulting in a 13-storey structure that was allegedly sold to the private entity at a "water price"—far below its actual market value.

The controversy centers on approximately one bigha and 10 katha of municipal land where the building was supposed to house government departments on specific floors. Former BJP district president Debanjal Chatterjee alleged that instead of retaining space for the municipality, the entire building was handed over to a private firm, which transformed it into a commercial trade center. The BJP leadership has now formally complained to the Howrah Municipal Administrator and the District Magistrate, seeking a comprehensive probe into the 2017 agreement and the subsequent sale.

Public safety concerns regarding the building have also intensified following a tragic accident in February this year. During construction work on the 13th-floor roof, a falling iron pipe killed two businessmen from Mangalahat, leading to the arrest of the builders. While the BJP demands that the state government immediately seize the property for public use, the Trinamool Congress has yet to issue an official comment regarding these specific allegations of financial irregularity.