Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Amid increasing scrutiny from the judiciary, the State government permitted the retirement of Public Works Department (PWD) Principal Chief Engineer Uttam Parsekar, who had continued in office on multiple service extensions. His extended term officially concludes on January 31.
According to a government order issued the same day, Ad-hoc Chief Engineer Sandip Chodnekar has been entrusted with the additional charge of Principal Chief Engineer with effect from February 1. Chodnekar will retain his current responsibilities while taking on the new role.
Parsekar, 64, had been granted a third consecutive extension in February 2025 for a duration of one year, enabling him to remain in service nearly three years beyond the prescribed retirement age.
The move follows petitions filed by around 16 PWD engineers before the High Court, challenging the State’s decision to grant repeated extensions to Parsekar. The petitioners have alleged misuse of discretionary powers, arguing that the most recent extension, which remained valid until January 31, 2026, was granted without any extraordinary or compelling grounds.
The engineers have also pointed out that the extensions were contrary to a High Court order dated October 14, 2025. In that ruling, the court had directed the government to refrain from extending the service of retiring officers and instead ensure induction of younger personnel by revising recruitment rules or eligibility criteria, if necessary. The case is listed for hearing next week.
Separately, Parsekar has also been named in a newly filed petition alleging irregularities in the award of PWD contracts. The petition, submitted by a group of citizens on Thursday, accuses him of favouring relatives and a select set of contractors in both tendered and non-tendered works, allegedly resulting in a loss of approximately Rs 1,350 crore to the State. It further claims that payments were released despite serious procedural lapses. The Vigilance Department and other authorities have also been made respondents in the matter.
