Anomalies in hiring pvt buses: Cong MLA

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 25

Congress MLA from Palwal Karan Dalal on Tuesday alleged irregularities in the allotment of tenders for 510 private buses hired under the km scheme of the Transport Department.

In a representation to Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya, Dalal alleged the BJP government had hired buses at highly inflated rates to favour certain persons.

“The state government has hired the buses at an average rate of Rs36.50 per km. It will also have to incur an addition cost of Rs16.36 per km by way of salary of the conductor, permit fee, bus stand fee, toll and special road tax, taking the charges to Rs52.86 per km,” the former minister said.

“The average receipt for Haryana Roadways from April to September 2018 worked out to be Rs26.19 per km. This will result into a loss of Rs26.67 per km, which worked out to be Rs147 crore per year,” Dalal claimed.

The MLA claimed that the average hiring cost was Rs36.50 per km in Haryana while, in neigbouring states, it was much less. “Punjab Roadways hired buses at the rate of Rs21.92 per km, Pepsu Roadways at Rs20.99 per km and Rajasthan Road Transport Corporation at Rs20.97 per km.”

“The state government had, on April 23, notified the km scheme, which is in violation of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. When this came to the notice of the state government, the Act was amended again on September 19. The amendment could not have been enforced retrospectively. This puts a question mark on hiring private buses under the km scheme,” Dalal alleged.

Seeking Governor’s intervention in the matter, the MLA alleged Haryana Roadways union leaders, who had opposed the km scheme, were threatened with dismissal notices and false criminal cases.