Payment of Rs Three crore plus bill to Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System Limited (DIMTS) for lockdown period when city bus services were suspended has raised many eyebrows in Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). Narendra Borkar, Chairperson, Transport Committee, addressing a press conference on Wednesday criticised the action of Municipal Commissioner Radhakrishnan B in ordering payment to DIMTS, saying, same is devoid of any merit.

 

DIMTS manages city bus services and Borkar has been on record conveying his displeasure over the company’s performance.

 

Explaining his rationale, Borkar said, prior to lockdown DIMTS was managing a fleet of 465 buses for which NMC used to be billed in range of Rs one to two crore and that was perfectly understood. However, the current payment of Rs 3,86,45,484 is for period of April to September when city bus service was under suspension owing to concerns over COVID-19 outbreak. The bill of nearly Rs four crore for plying of just 60 buses with two thirds of staff on leave defy logic.

 

What is more amazing is that Municipal Commissioner over ruled Chief Accounts and Finance Officer (CAFO) who had thrice returned the bill to DIMTS as same was found inflated. However after DIMTS approached Municipal Commissioner and clarified  their bill, the same was approved with a thirty per cent discount. CAFO was ordered to make payment of 70 per cent of DIMTS bill and same was cleared in two installments, Rs. 1,92,96,922 on December 15, 2020, and Rs. 1,94,84,562 on January 15, 20201, claimed Borkar while replying to a query.

 

Incidentally, Transport Department of NMC too had rejected DIMTS bill calling its highly inflated and sought correction. The company officials however had the audacity of submitting revised bill that was more than previous bill, as Borkar highlighted the plight of elected public representatives in civic body.

 

As to future action, Borkar said they are going to discuss the unilateral payment of bill to DIMTS in next meeting of Transport Committee. Further they would force the transport company to true-up their bills or otherwise their future liability would not be approved.

 

Addressing mediapersons at his chamber in NMC Headquarters on Wednesday, Borkar questioned the logic of DIMTS bill since prior to lockdown 465 buses used to ply daily and during lockdown only 60 buses were operating. He claimed that for the lockdown period, the conductors engaged by DIMTS went without pay so how come NMC has sanctioned such hefty bill to the company. During the lockdown period only one person was deployed at each of the zones, the cash counters were closed, and few others were deployed at depot (Hingna Octroi post) to oversee 60 buses operating that time. In all not more than 25 persons were deployed by DIMTS during the six months lockdown for which it charged Rs. three crores to NMC, which is highly exceptional.

Narendra Borkar also called for increasing the number of buses plying in city as with schools and college slated to reopen footfalls have increased. Municipal Commissioner Radhakrishnan B should not make citizens suffer and over crowing in buses due to low frequency is also not ideal as same may lead to spike in COVID-19 cases. In such condition who will be responsible for suffering of citizens, he asked. From February 1, 100 more buses should ply so to meet the increasing demand and provide respite to students.