BENGALURU: Despite the end of the lease period of displaying advertisements on bus shelters, advertisement agencies continue to draw huge revenue with officials concerned showing laxity.
BBMP leader of opposition Padmanabha Reddy said, “Due to this unholy nexus between officials and agencies, the Palike has incurred a loss of `60 crore.” He also demanded a Lokayukta probe in the issue.
Reddy told reporters on Monday that he wanted the Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister to intervene on the issue.
“Palike has given tenders to 12 firms to build bus shelters across the city in 2006-2007 when the Palike was in control of the administrator then. Out of these firms, only one had handed over the bus shelters which he had developed under the ‘build-operate-transfer agreement’. The agreement for 300 bus shelters ended in 2013 and that of another 300 shelters in 2014. In two years, the BBMP lost revenue from advertisement tax and rentals from the same, added Reddy.
He also lashed out at BBMP Assistant Commissioner K Mathai, saying he did not do enough in dealing with this mafia. He termed Mathai’s efforts as only a “media stunt.”
“There is one such shelter right opposite the BBMP head-office and the officials failed to take action against this agency. This should be probed and the CM also should interfere,” he said.
Reacting to this, Mathai said it’s a big mafia and everything is being monitored and notices will be sent.