Malhotra for inquiry into hiring of DTC drivers, conductors

Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijay Kumar Malhotra today asked Delhi Lieutenant Governor Tejendra Khanna to order an inquiry into the alleged charges of widespread corruption in the procedure of appointment of drivers and conductors in the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC). Prof Malhotra, in a statement said, it was reported that the DTC would employ close to 6000 buses for the Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi in October this year. The DTC had sought applications from prospective drivers and conductors on contract basis for operating these buses and close to 30,000 applications were reported to have been received. ''However, it has been brought to our notice that due to widespread corruption, bribery and partisanship, this entire process has been cancelled,'' Prof Malhotra said.

Repeated complaints from various government departments about scandals in the admission/enrolment examinations had led the Delhi Police to uncover a gang, which in turn revealed that there had been serious malpractices under the Delhi Subordinate Service Selection Board (DSSSB) in the enrolment of employees in the DTC and teachers, he said.

Prof Malhotra said these episodes had left a question mark on the dependability and authenticity of the working of the DSSSB. He pointed out that the same Board was responsible for the selection of drivers and conductors for DTC. Prof Malhotra said if adequate numbers of drivers and conductors were not inducted into the DTC force, there would be serious deficiencies in the transport arrangements during the Commonwealth Games. He asked the Lieutenant Governor to order a high-level inquiry into the alleged malpractices in the procedure for hiring drivers and conductors for DTC and punish those officers found guilty of malpractices. Prof Malhotra also demanded that the entire process of hiring be made more transparent to avoid such scams and scandals in future.