The dust has settled after the Lok Sabha elections and everyone has moved on, but one aspect remains unsettled: a INR 20 crore taxi bill for approximately 500 vehicles, including SUVs, sedans and luxury vehicles that were hired for the elections.
Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) managing director Suneel Anchipaka said that the payment is in the process of being settled. However, GTDC sources said that the directorate of accounts has rejected the bills submitted by GTDC.
Officials were unable to tell the exact amount due to be paid for the 450 heavy vehicles that were hired for the election. They said the file had been sent to the accounts department for clearing.
Meanwhile, taxi operators said that they are struggling to pay salaries and meet maintenance costs.
“When our cars were taken for the elections, nobody told us that the money won’t be paid. We spent on diesel and had to pay the drivers from our own money. How can we manage for so long? The elections are over, counting is over and everything is done, but we are made to beg for our money,” said a bus operator.
The chief electoral officer took approximately 1,000 vehicles on hire for the elections, including 450 buses and several trucks. GTDC was the agency tasked with requisitioning the vehicles for polls.
“The department needs to find a solution. The people from whom we took vehicles think that we have cheated them of their money. They are taunting us. We were assured that we would be paid quickly,” said a taxi operator.
After elections, the taxi operators have been following up with GTDC’s deputy manager for transport Sandeep Gawas. Gawas first blamed the delay on technical issues and later said that the bill was rejected.
The cost of renting an SUV was INR 8,450 for a minimum of 250km for 24 hours with INR 35 being charged for every extra km. For a large bus, the cost is INR 16,250 per bus for minimum 250 kms for 24 hours, while for a mini-bus the cost comes down to INR 13,750 with INR 55 per extra km. The cost for trucksis INR 18,750 for 250km or 24 hours with INR 65 for every extra km.
