Alleging a scam involving crores in the purchase of 1,000 buses by the Delhi Transport Corporation, the Delhi BJP has demanded a CBI probe into the matter.
BJP Rohini MLA Vijender Gupta, who had approached the L-G for an enquiry committee to be set up, had alleged irregularities in the terms of the purchase and maintenance contracts. He said that in January 2021, the Delhi government had placed a work order of 1,000 low-floor buses costing Rs 890 crore. Along with the order for Along with the order for purchase, it also took out the tender for the annual maintenance of the buses for Rs 350 crore per year, he said. This too, was handed over to the same bus suppliers.
Holding a press conference, Gupta said the anti-corruption branch of the state government is not permitting a probe into the matter. In such a situation, the issue must be taken to national corruption branch and, in fact, be investigated by CBI, he said.
Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Ramvir Bidhuri said Delhi needs 15,000 buses but claimed that in the past seven years, hardly any bus has been purchased by the Arvind Kejriwal government.
He also claimed most buses will be off the roads by September as they would be completing their time period by then: “There will be acute shortage of buses on one hand while in light of the scam in new bus purchase, the government itself would stop the purchase process.”
Incidentally, in October last year, faced with a depleting fleet, the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) had said it will extend the road life of 1,000 buses – which will complete 12 years in service by July 2021 – by another three years.
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