Times of India: Vadodara: Tuesday, July 14, 2015.
Mayor Bharat Shah, it seems, has the rare
privilege of using two official cars with two separate drivers.
An application made under Right to Information
(RTI) Act has revealed that Shah has been using two cars since August 2014. The
official records from Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) show that two cars
are often used under Shah's name and both vehicles also accompany him on tours
outside the city.
RTI activist, Atul Gamechi, who had filed the
application, alleged that Shah was wasting public money as he is supposed to
use only one car. "Shah was allotted a new car in August last year.
Instead of giving back possession of his old car, Shah kept it with him. Now he
uses both the cars. People don't pay taxes for the luxury of the mayor,"
Gamechi said. According to VMC's reply, the mayor's new car went from Vadodara
to Gandhar on November 18, 2014 and returned on November 20. "His old car
too travelled to Gandhar on the same days. On March 14, Shah went to Palitana
in his new official car but his old car travelled in the city under his name. I
have listed 19 such occasions when both cars were used under the mayor's name.
Why is the mayor using two cars when he is entitled to use only one?"
Gamechi questioned.
Shah, however, said that he hasn't been using two
cars. "The other car is used only if my new car goes for repairs or faces
some accident. It is not possible that two cars are used under my name."
When pointed out about RTI reply which indicates
that he uses two cars, Shah said, "I may have taken councilors along on
the tour in the second car. Else I don't use both cars regularly." Gamechi
said that Shah should pay for the second car he used for last one year along
with the driver's salary from his own pocket.
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