Date:26/02/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/02/26/stories/2004022606680400.htm

New Delhi

CBI probe into toll tax issue sought

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, FEB. 25 . The Leader of Opposition in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Subhash Arya, has demanded a CBI inquiry into the issue of privatisation of toll-tax in the Capital.

In a letter to the Delhi Lieutenant-Governor, Vijai Kapoor, Mr. Arya alleged that attempts were being made by an influential section of the Congress Councillors in the MCD to award the toll tax contract to one of their favourite companies.

"This is the reason why rules are being bent. And competition has been reduced to just two private companies,'' he alleged. He charged the dominant section of the Councillors with overruling the objections raised by the Delhi Mayor, Ashok K. Jain, in this regard.

Despite the fact that the Mayor had suggested increasing the number of companies in the fray, the Standing Committee of the MCD rejected the proposal.

Even the proposal of the Municipal Commissioner, Rakesh Mehta, who brought a fresh agenda in the Standing Committee for keeping five companies in the fray, was rejected by the Committee. "All this shows that certain vested interests are trying to grab toll-tax collection in the Capital. This is against the interest of the Corporation,'' he said.

Mr. Arya alleged that just to favour certain companies, there was strong opposition to computerise toll-tax collection. "Computerisation is a commuter-friendly move. This is as per the direction of the National Highway Authority of India,'' he said.