Bus owners pay Rs 1 lakh bribe?
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JULY 7
The private bus operators in the State today alleged that they have to cough up almost Rs one lakh as bribe to Transport Department, annually.
The operators alleged that the bribe percolates up to Assistant Director of Transport (ADT) and even at ministerial level.
“We bus operators have to pay bribe at every stage of their operations. ADT and the minister get almost 80 percent of the total bribe involved in the operation. The rest 20 percent is shared by RTOs,” All Goa Private Bus Owners Association, General Secretary Sudip Tamankar told reporters.
He said that such harassment by transport officials has forced them to put more burdens on public in form of ticket hike.
“When we shell out so much money, we also have to fetch, income-source is public,” Tamankar stated.
The bus operators have to pay Rs 5,000 as against official Rs 2,000 to RTO for the registration of new bus. While for the renewal of permit Rs 5,000 (Rs 300 official), transfer of permit Rs 7,000 (Rs 300 official), issuing of time schedule Rs 5,000 (officially no fee) and for renewal of temporary permits Rs 1,000 every month, has to be paid to the officials.
“Along with this, for the issuance of fresh permit, the operators have to pay Rs 80,000 to the minister directly,” he explained.
Tamankar, himself was asked Rs 80,000 by ADT Pralhad Dessai for the renewal of stage carriage permit. He has recently demanded Vigilance inquiry in the matter. Desai had told Tamankar that the amount is required to be given to Transport Minister Ramkrishna Dhavlikar for the renewal of the permit. He further alleged that the permit is stopped due to non fulfillment of minister’s demand.
“Without giving bribes, we cannot function,” Tamankar said.
Talking to Herald one of the operators said that along with RTO, traffic police, the key enforcement agency is also paid at every route.
“We need to pay Rs 500 on every route to the traffic police. Around 70 percent of forced stoppages on road by these authorities are for extorting money,” operator said.
The Association also alleged that the ADTs are not been given transfers by the minister for last two years, whereas officially they need to be transferred every six months.
Tamankar also pointed out that there are many operators, who have invested black money in this business.
“Of the 1700 buses nearly 1000 are run by people who have invested all their illegal money in this trade,” he charged.
