Two domestic bus manufacturers, Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland, today refuted in the Delhi High Court the AAP government's claim that they were quoting "unrealistic and unreasonable" rates for low-floor buses needed to strengthen public transportation in the city.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar was informed by the two manufacturers that the Delhi government has not floated any tender for procurement of low-floor buses since 2014.
"There is no difficulty in manufacturing buses, but for the last four years, they have not floated any tender to procure buses," Tata Motors said and questioned how could Delhi government say that it had quoted prices which were "unrealistic, exorbitantly high and unreasonable".
"We are not opposed to any initiative, but the government should at least meet us," the counsel for the Tata Motors said. He also submitted that the Delhi government's terms were, however, very unreasonable.
On hearing this, the bench said "in view of the willingness of Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland, we see no reason why the Delhi government cannot acquire low floor buses for the city".
It, however, asked the two companies to file an affidavit explaining the factual position with regard to supply of buses in past.
The bench also sought to know from the Delhi government, the reason for not floating any tender to procure low floor buses since 2014.
The court fixed the matter for further hearing on February 7.
Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland made their appearance before the court after they were arrayed as party to a PIL by a person suffering from locomotor disability challenging the Delhi government's move to procure 2,000 standard floor buses at a cost of Rs 300 crore.
Petitioner Nipun Malhotra has also urged the court that emergency measures need to be undertaken for procuring low floor buses, not only for ensuring the facilities to the passengers but also keeping in view the impact of lack of public transport on the environment and the pollution levels in the city.
Earlier, the court had told the the AAP government that it could send its officials to jail for contempt of Supreme Court's 19-year old direction to augment its bus fleet, but the city needed more buses at present rather than officials in prison.
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