How to File RTI with Delhi PWD — Roads, Flyovers, Drains and Public Works Contracts

The Delhi Public Works Department (PWD) is a department of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) responsible for constructing and maintaining major roads, flyovers, bridges, underpasses, drains, and public buildings across Delhi. It is a public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005.

Citizens regularly use RTI against PWD to expose poor road repair quality, track work order and contractor details, find out why a pothole or damaged stretch has not been fixed, and obtain expenditure data on public works projects in their area.

What Can You Achieve with an RTI to Delhi PWD?

• Confirm whether a road falls under PWD jurisdiction or whether MCD, NDMC, CPWD, or DDA is the responsible body
• Obtain the name of the contractor and the contract amount for a specific road repair or construction work
• Get a certified copy of the work order or tender document for any PWD project
• Find out the defect liability period for a recently repaired road and whether the contractor can be held accountable for fresh potholes
• Know the status of a flyover or underpass project — whether a work order has been issued, the contractor, and the expected completion date
• Get expenditure data on road maintenance or construction in a specific Division or Ward for a financial year
• Track the action taken on a complaint you or your RWA have previously submitted to PWD
• Find out the name and designation of the Executive Engineer (EE) and Junior Engineer (JE) responsible for a road or area
• Obtain details of drain desilting and maintenance contracts in your area, including whether the work was actually carried out

Where to File: The Right Authority

Understanding Jurisdiction in Delhi

Delhi's road network is divided among several agencies, and filing RTI with the wrong authority results in a transfer or no useful response. Understanding which body maintains which roads is essential before you file.

PWD Delhi maintains the major arterial roads, state highways, flyovers, bridges, and underpasses across Delhi. These include well-known corridors such as Ring Road, Outer Ring Road, NH-48 (Delhi–Gurgaon corridor within Delhi), and most roads connecting different districts.

MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) handles internal colony roads, residential lanes, and local streets. Most roads inside residential colonies, markets, and narrow lanes fall under MCD's three zones (North, South, East).

NDMC (New Delhi Municipal Council) is responsible for roads and civic infrastructure in the New Delhi area — broadly the Lutyens' Delhi zone covering Connaught Place, Parliament Street, Rajpath (Kartavya Path), and surrounding areas. NDMC is a Central Government body, so RTI filed against NDMC goes to the Central Information Commission (CIC), not the Delhi Information Commission (DIC).

CPWD (Central Public Works Department) maintains roads, buildings, and infrastructure within Central Government campuses, central government residential colonies (such as Lodhi Estate, Chanakyapuri diplomatic enclave), and Delhi's central government offices.

DDA (Delhi Development Authority) handles roads inside DDA-developed residential sectors and housing complexes.

If you are unsure who maintains a specific road, you can ask PWD to clarify jurisdiction in Question 1 of your RTI. PWD is legally obliged to either provide the information or transfer your application to the correct authority under Section 6(3) of the RTI Act within 5 days.

Filing on the Delhi RTI Portal

PWD Delhi falls under the GNCTD, and RTI applications for Delhi State departments are filed at rti.delhi.gov.in. On the portal, select Public Works Department and, where the option is available, choose the specific Division Office serving your area. If you are unsure of the division, filing with PWD Headquarters is acceptable — the CPIO there will route your application internally.

You can also submit an application in person or by post at the concerned PWD Division Office or at PWD Headquarters, Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi.

How to File: Step by Step

Step 1: Confirm Jurisdiction

Before drafting, check the Delhi PWD website (pwd.delhigovt.nic.in) for the road list or call the PWD helpline to confirm that your road is a PWD road. If unsure, include a specific question about jurisdiction in your RTI itself — this is a standard and valid approach.

Step 2: Gather Reference Details

Collect the following before drafting your application:

• The exact name and location of the road, stretch, or project (with nearby landmarks, colony name, ward, and district)
• Your complaint reference number if you have already raised a grievance with PWD or on any helpline
• The approximate date when you first noticed the problem or when the repair work was (or was supposed to be) carried out
• For contract queries: the name of the road or project and, if known, the approximate year the tender was floated

Step 3: Draft Your Application

Use the sample RTI draft provided on this page. Ask only the questions that are relevant to your situation — you do not need to ask all seven questions. Clear, specific questions produce faster and more useful responses. Reference the road by its full local name and, if available, its PWD road number or tender/agreement number.

Step 4: File Online and Pay the Fee

Go to rti.delhi.gov.in, register or log in, select Public Works Department, and submit your application. Pay ₹10 online (net banking, debit card, or UPI). BPL cardholders are exempt from the fee — attach a copy of your BPL card. Save the acknowledgement number you receive after submission.

Step 5: Track, Appeal if Needed

PWD must respond within 30 days under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act. Track your application on the portal using your acknowledgement number.

• If there is no response within 30 days, or the response is incomplete or misleading, file a First Appeal under Section 19(1) of the RTI Act with the First Appellate Authority at PWD within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable.
• If the First Appeal is also unsatisfactory or unanswered, file a Second Appeal under Section 19(3) with the Delhi Information Commission (DIC), the State Information Commission established under Section 15 of the RTI Act, 2005, within 90 days. The DIC has the power to impose a penalty of up to ₹25,000 on a public information officer who fails to respond or provides false information, under Section 20 of the RTI Act.

What Specific Information Can You Ask For?

The following are specific questions you can ask PWD, grouped by the type of issue. Use these as a reference when tailoring the sample draft.

Road repair and pothole complaints:

1. Whether a work order has been issued for pothole repair / road resurfacing at named stretch, the contractor assigned, the contract amount, and the expected completion date
2. The date of the last road resurfacing at named stretch, the contractor name, the contract amount, and the defect liability period specified in the contract
3. Quality inspection reports / material test reports for the road repair work carried out at named stretch in month/year
4. Action taken on complaint bearing reference number submitted on date regarding named road

Contractor and contract details:

1. A certified copy of the work order / tender agreement for named road / project, including scope of work, contract value, and contractor name
2. The list of all contracts awarded by PWD named Division during financial year XXXX-XX, with contractor names, work descriptions, contract amounts, and completion status
3. Whether the contractor for named work has been penalised or blacklisted for poor workmanship, and the details of any penalty imposed

Flyover and bridge projects:

1. Current construction status of the named flyover / underpass project — stages completed, outstanding work, and revised completion date
2. The total approved project cost, amount disbursed to date, and name of the executing contractor for the named flyover project
3. Whether any extension of time has been granted to the contractor for the named project, and the reasons recorded

Drain and stormwater maintenance:

1. Whether drain desilting / cleaning work has been carried out in named area / colony for the current year, the contractor responsible, and the work completion report
2. The total budget allocated and amount spent on drain maintenance in named Division for financial year XXXX-XX
3. The engineer responsible for drain maintenance in named area and any inspection reports for the last period

Officer responsibility:

1. Name and designation of the Executive Engineer (EE) and Junior Engineer (JE) responsible for road maintenance in named area / Division
2. The PWD Division under which named road / area falls, with the address of the Division Office

Expenditure and financial data:

1. Total expenditure by PWD on road construction and maintenance in named Division / Ward during financial year XXXX-XX, with a work-wise breakdown
2. List of works sanctioned in named area under the Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) or Special Repair fund for financial year XXXX-XX, with contract amounts and execution status