A whistleblower has raised serious allegations of corruption, negligence, and threats to public safety in multiple projects awarded by the Ropeways & Rapid Transport System Development Corporation (RTDC) in Shimla to M/s Sky International, Ghaziabad. The complaint seeks urgent intervention, technical audits, and action to protect government funds and citizens.
In an unnamed letter to the Chief Minister, the complainant alleged that corruption and negligence in the Auckland Lift & Escalator Project, awarded in 2021, and claimed that the project remains incomplete and the entire steel structure has been left exposed to rain, snow and sunlight for more than two years. This exposure has reportedly caused deep corrosion, loss of strength, surface pitting and weakening of load-bearing steel components. The whistleblower claims that the structure has already lost its reliability due to freeze–thaw cycles, rust scaling and metal fatigue, and warns that continued use of the damaged steel may increase the risk of collapse and waste public money. It has been recommended that a fresh structural audit be conducted and the exposed steel members be dismantled and not reused.
The complaint also refers to the escalator installed by the same contractor at Jakhu Temple, which malfunctioned during its inauguration in April 2024 when Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu stepped onto the escalator, forcing him to climb manually. Within a month, the escalator reportedly broke down completely, raising questions over the contractor’s workmanship and safety standards.
Another RTDC project awarded to Sky International at the Lakkar Bazaar Bus Stand was reportedly taken back by the department in late 2023 due to poor-quality materials, non-compliance with structural requirements and failure to meet contractual obligations. The whistleblower states that this reflects repeated failure in project delivery and quality control.
It has also been alleged that the contractor has not cleared dues of labourers, subcontractors and material suppliers for the Vikasnagar Lift Phase 2 and 3 works, despite project completion. This has raised concerns regarding the financial integrity and accountability of the agency.
The whistleblower notes that RTDC issued a warning to the contractor in January 2024, giving a three-month deadline to complete the long-delayed Auckland project. However, no significant progress has been made since then, and the structure continues to deteriorate due to harsh weather exposure, adding to financial losses to the state.
The letter to the Chief Minister further alleges that Sky International secured multiple government tenders by submitting fake completion certificates, fabricated financial records and misleading experience documentation. It also claims suspected collusion between the contractor and a senior RTDC official, citing that tenders continued to be awarded and payments released despite repeated failures and warning notices.
The whistleblower has urged the Chief Minister to order immediate action, including a detailed technical audit of all RTDC projects executed by the contractor, a financial investigation into payments released so far, scrutiny of alleged forged documents, an inquiry into suspected collusion within RTDC, urgent steps to safeguard the deteriorating Auckland structure and clearing of payment dues to workers and suppliers. The complaint warns that continued inaction will further increase risks to public safety and lead to additional loss of taxpayer money.
