HYDERABAD: At a time when the TSRTC is struggling to recover from steep losses, the management of the transport corporation has ordered a Rs 37 lakh high-end Kia car for its new chairman Bajireddy Govardhan, drawing flak from various quarters.
Ever since the management approved procurement of Kia Carnival for the RTC chairman, the decision is receiving widespread criticism as a Toyota Innova, which was procured in 2018 for the then chairman Somarapu Satyanarayana, is still in mint condition.
The decision triggered demands from others with some higher officials like Executive Directors pitching for brand new cars though not as ultra-modern vehicle as the one that has been ordered for the new chairman.
However, the management defended its decision saying that since the chairman has a Cabinet rank, there is nothing wrong in providing him with a good car. The latest development comes close on the heels of approval of 32 new cars procured for IAS officers across the State, following a decision taken during a meeting held at Pragathi Bhavan in June.
Meanwhile, TSRTC vice-chairman and Managing Director VC Sajjanar justified the decision and said: "Since it (buying a car) was necessary and he did not have a designated car, this proposal was approved. Unnecessarily, this is being made into a big issue. In fact, I am using the old car they are referring to (former Chairman's vehicle)."
However, the issue refuses to die down as the union leaders are seeking implementation of austerity measures, saying that the corporation is still struggling to overcome losses it suffered in recent times.
The unions contend that the TSRTC is yet to recover from the setbacks it suffered in the last years due to COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns besides the debilitating blow it received by the employees' strike in 2019.
"We welcome the way the new Managing Director is trying to ensure the corporation comes out of red. But how can the chairman, who warned that the corporation would be privatised it if fails to generate good revenue, is splurging the corporation’s money on luxury cars," wondered K Raji Reddy, General Secretary of TSRTC Employees Union.
'Nothing wrong in providing a good car'
The TSRTC management, however, defended its decision saying that since the chairman holds a Cabinet rank, there is nothing wrong in providing him a good car. The development comes close on the heels of approval of 32 new cars procured for IAS officers, following a decision taken during a meeting held at Pragathi Bhavan in June.