The much-hyped Rose Garden redevelopment project in Ludhiana has hit a roadblock, with the Municipal Corporation (MC) now planning to cancel the tender. The ₹8.9-crore project, aimed at giving a facelift to the iconic city park, is under a cloud after the arrest of superintending engineer (SE) Sanjay Kanwar by the Vigilance Bureau in a corruption case earlier this year.

The project, which was supposed to be completed in a phased manner, had promised new landscaping, a musical fountain, a children’s play area, upgraded walking tracks and improved lighting infrastructure. The tender was floated last year under the Ludhiana Smart City Mission to boost green spaces and offer better public amenities.

However, following the arrest of SE Sanjay Kanwar in April this year, the project has been under scrutiny. Kanwar was accused of irregularities in the tendering process and allegedly accepting bribes to favour certain contractors.

Sources in the MC confirmed that senior officials have initiated the process to cancel the tender, citing irregularities and the ongoing vigilance inquiry. “Since the matter is already under investigation by the Vigilance Bureau and several aspects of the project are under question, the administration is not keen on going ahead with it in its current form,” said a senior official on condition of anonymity.

The redevelopment plan was initially welcomed by residents and environmentalists, who had long demanded better maintenance and facilities at the garden, which attracts hundreds of visitors daily. However, delays, allegations of corruption, and lack of transparency have now left the project hanging.

A member of the Finance and Contract Committee (F&CC) said the cancellation of the tender is the most likely outcome, but the final call will be taken in the next F&CC meeting. “No one wants to touch a tainted project at this stage. It is better to scrap it and float a fresh tender later with stricter checks in place,” the member said.

As the fate of the redevelopment hangs in the balance, residents have expressed disappointment. “We were hoping for better facilities, but now the entire project is uncertain. The authorities must act fast to clear doubts and relaunch the project properly,” said Jaspreet Singh, a daily visitor to the garden.

Despite repeated attempts, MC commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal was not available for comments.