RTI query by AAP exposes anomalies
SHILLONG: The Meghalaya unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has alleged massive scam in the plying of the SPTS buses, which were sanctioned to the state under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
Quoting an RTI filed by the party, the legal advisor of AAP, Peter Dohkrut, said as per MUDA’s reply, there are only 19 buses which are not in a condition to ply. The buses are being inspected by the motor vehicle inspector and recommendations have been made to the government to place buses before the Condemnation Committee.
Dohkrut said as per the memorandum of agreement signed between the Ministry of Urban Development and the state government, these buses can be condemned only after running for nine years or 9.5 lakh km, but these buses have not even completed seven years of service in Shillong.
The AAP legal advisor alleged that MUDA’s reply is a complete lie since there are more than one hundred vehicles which are not in running condition and the buses have been dumped by the government.
He added that as per the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) in 2007, it was the duty of the state government to look after the maintenance of these buses.
“As per the agreement, the state government has committed itself to providing complete infrastructure like bus depots, parking, bus station etc, but in reality nothing has been provided and these buses are not maintained at all,” he said.
The RTI also said 256 buses have been procured till date – 120 in the first phase from 2010 to 2015 and 136 in the second phase from 2013 to 2016.
According to the MoA, the amount for procuring the buses in the first phase was estimated at Rs 16.40 crore while no information was given for procurement of the buses under the second phase.
“Interestingly, when we asked about the Maxi cabs and Wingers, no information was provided by MUDA,” he said.
Giving the details of the RTI, he said the buses are supposed to charge Rs 5 up to 3 km, Rs 10 up to 8 km, Rs 15 up to 13 km and Rs 20 beyond 13 km but all these stipulations have been violated.
“The buses are overcharging Rs 20 per passenger on the Motphran to Madanrting route which is only 7-8 km and the same buses charge Rs 10 per head from Laitumkhrah to Nongthymmai, which is not even 3 km, he said, adding that according to MUDA, these buses are non-profit ventures and are to be used for public interest but the irony is that the buses don’t follow any rules and regulations.
AAP also questioned the revenue generated from the buses since taxes and insurance have been waived off for the buses.
“There is no accountability and transparency and no proper maintenance of these buses. There is a big scam,” he told reporters and added that 256 buses in the last seven years must have made revenue of minimum Rs 30-40 crore.
The party also slammed the government for not handing over the buses to Meghalaya Transport Corporation when the corporation has become a loss-making organisation.