Large-scale mismanagement in DTC under previous AAP govt, says Rekha
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday accused the previous AAP government of large-scale mismanagement in the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), citing financial losses and operational failures outlined in the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report tabled in the Assembly.
The CAG report, which assessed the performance of the DTC under the AAP administration, has been referred to the Assembly’s Committee on Government Undertakings for further examination.
Speaker Vijender Gupta, with the approval of the House, directed the committee to submit its report within three months and asked the DTC to provide an action taken note within a month.
“The DTC was ruined due to mismanagement. If buses do not operate on all routes, how will the DTC generate revenue? Due to improper scheduling, there has been a loss of Rs 668 crore,” the Chief Minister said during the discussion on the report.
Highlighting the declining state of the DTC, CM Gupta pointed out that the number of buses fell from 4,344 in 2015 to just 3,937 in 2023, failing to meet Delhi’s growing transportation needs.
“In 2007, the Supreme Court mandated that Delhi should have 11,000 buses, but by 2023, the fleet remained at just 3,937. The Rs 60 crore loss has now increased to Rs 80 crore due to interest and other expenses. The operational loss stands at Rs 14,000 crore,” she stated.
Taking aim at the opposition, she said: “Abusing others has become their habit, and they refuse to acknowledge their shortcomings.”
Gupta also flagged irregularities in the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS), which was previously co-owned by the Delhi government and IDFC Bank, each holding a 50 per cent stake.
She alleged that the AAP government failed to act when IDFC decided to sell its stake, leading to a massive financial setback for Delhi.
“In 2023, IDFC’s share in the DIMTS was valued at Rs 95 crore in profit. When IDFC decided to sell, the Delhi government had the first right of refusal. However, the file remained stuck for two years without any decision. Eventually, IDFC sold its share to a private company for just Rs 10 crore,” Gupta revealed.
She further alleged that the stake was acquired by a private company majorly owned by a Russian firm, questioning why a Rs 95-crore stake was sold for only Rs 10 crore.
“This is what they have done to the DTC. I request that this matter be thoroughly investigated,” she demanded.
Vowing to revamp DTC, Gupta announced her government’s commitment to modernise inter-state bus terminals (ISBTs) with advanced technology.
She also alleged corruption in AAP’s free bus ride scheme for women, claiming that the previous government failed to maintain records of actual beneficiaries.
“There was no system in place to ascertain the number of actual beneficiaries of the scheme. We will introduce smart cards to ensure accountability and transparency,” she added.
Gupta assured that efforts will be made to improve DTC operations, increase revenue and provide better services to commuters.
Minister seeks thorough probe
New Delhi: Speaking during the discussion on Friday, Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh revealed that between 2015 and 2022, the DTC incurred operational losses exceeding Rs 14,000 crore, while its total deficit surged from Rs 25,300 crore in 2015-16 to nearly Rs 60,750 crore by 2021-22. The interest burden also escalated from Rs 3,277 crore to Rs 8,375 crore, worsening the financial crisis. Highlighting irregularities, he pointed to a Rs 52 crore payment for CCTV installations in 3,697 buses in March 2021, which remained non-functional due to the lack of a User Acceptance Test. Singh demanded a thorough probe into the financial discrepancies and called for strict action against those responsible.
