No registration under app-based premium bus service in Delhi

The registration process of buses under the app-based Premium Bus Scheme, which was to come into effect from Wednesday, could not start as the Lt Governor Najeeb Jung has asked the Delhi Government to review the scheme, which has also come under the scanner of the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB).

A senior Delhi government official alleged that a conspiracy is being hatched to delay the scheme under which people would be able to book their seats in buses through their smart phones on the lines of app-based taxi services in the national capital.

"As the Lt Governor has asked the government to look into the app-based Premium Bus Scheme again, registration process of buses to be applied under it could not begin today," the official said.

The move may trigger another round of confrontation between the Arvind Kejriwal government and the LG office which have been at loggerheads on a range of issues including transfers and postings of bureaucrats, formation of commission of inquiries, in the past.

The AAP Government has also rubbished the allegations of any wrongdoing in the scheme, saying that it was ready if the scheme is investigated by other probe agencies besides the ACB.

"If required, government will communicate to the LG office with regard to some points of scheme raised by the Lt Governor in his communication to the CM. There is no ploy on the part of the government. Probing the app-based scheme by the ACB will only result in delaying of its implementation," official added.

ACB, headed by the Joint Police Commissioner M K Meena, on Wednesday initiated a probe into a premium bus scheme notified by the Transport Department on May 20. The notification was given on the complaint of the Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, Vijender Gupta, who alleged that the government is trying to benefit a Gurgaon based private bus aggregator.

"There are allegations that no prior approval of the Lt Governor was sought before launch of the scheme and that it was aimed at benefiting a private company," ACB chief Meena said.

"The Lt Governor of National Capital Territory of Delhi is pleased to notify that all premium buses which ply in Delhi in conformity with guidelines specified in the app-based premium bus services scheme shall be deemed to be used for the purpose of reducing pollution and shall be exempted from provision of sub section (1) of Section 66 of the said Act(Motor Vehicle Act 1998) to such an extent as may be necessary for operation of such buses," read the notification signed by Transport Commissioner Sanjay Kumar.