Rampant corruption in DTC paralysing Public Trpt System: Staff

New Delhi, June 14 (UNI) Alleging that rampant corruption in DTC ranks is responsible for paralysing the public transport system in the Capital city, the staffers of the state-owned corporation today demanded a high-level judicial probe into the irregularities.

Addressing a press conference here, the Delhi Parivahan Karamchari Sangh, a major trade union of the Delhi Transport Corporation, alleged that massive corruption involved in purchase of high speed buses, sale of scrap, purchase of spare parts and granting of subsidy for the corporation's social responsibilities were responsible for heavy losses suffered by the DTC, which in turn had paralysed the public transport system in the Capital city.

Speaking at the press meet, Sangh chairman Jai Bhagwan Goyal alleged that no new diesel buses had been purchased by the DTC in the last 15 years while no new CNG buses have been inducted in the National capital over the last five years.

Mr Goyal, who was flanked by sangh president Om Prakash Vashisht and General secretary Sunil Gupta said spare parts were not being brought from the manufacturer Ashok Leyland but were being purchased locally which resulted in frequent breakdowns of DTC buses in Delhi.

''Out of a total of 330 buses, over 1000 buses can always be found parked at bus depots due to technical and other faults at any given time,''Mr Goyal alleged.

Alleging that the high-tech buses sought to be introduced in the city was aimed at fooling Delhiites,''over 2500 CNG buses can be brought with the amount sought to be spent on the project - the decicated corridor itself costs a whopping Rs 350 crore and five buses will cost Rs 47 lakh each.'' Also, despite surplus staff, all feeder services including to and from metro stations and at Chandni Chowk were being given to private contractors.

''CNG leekages are also not being rectified on time, causing a loss of Rs 5000 for each fault,''he said.

''It seems a deliberate attempt is afoot to present DTC as a loss-making outfit to pave way for private operators,''the sangh alleged.

Goyal demanded a high-level judicial inquiry into the massive corruption and bungling in DTC and exemplary action against public servants and government officials found guilty for their acts of omission and commission.

UNI