DTC buses for games not roadworthy? HC to probe

Amidst allegations of scams in the Commonwealth Games projects, the Delhi High Court has decided to hear corruption complaints against DTC in speedy procurement of new A/C and non A/C DTC buses that will be used during the Games. Harish V Nair reports.

Amidst allegations of scams in the Commonwealth Games projects, the Delhi High Court has decided to hear corruption complaints against DTC in speedy procurement of new A/C and non A/C DTC buses that will be used during the Games.

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A Bench headed by Justice A K Sikri has sought the version of the Delhi government, DTC and Ashok Leyland from whom the buses are being bought and fixed the hearing for August 31.

The issue came to fore when Kailash Vasdev, amicus curiae, sought the court's intervention of the court to ensure that only road-worthy buses were released for the public, players and games officials.

"DTC was procuring sub-standard buses from Ashok Leyland that did not conform to safety norms. In a way even the lives of the sportspersons are being jeopardized," he told the court. DTC counsel Sumeet Pushkarna had denied all allegations in a detailed affidavit and termed them as "irresponsible and mischievous".

Vasdev referred to reports that Leyland had bribed experts of Pune-based Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT) into forging critical laboratory test reports of plywood samples used in CNG buses to be supplied to Delhi government.

Pushkarna said the probe was directed only against CIRT officials in Pune and some officers of Ashok Leyland.

"On coming to know about the forgery, DTC immediately took up the matter with the vigilance and ordered that pending the probe no payment for these buses shal be released," he said.