The Dehradun City Bus Union on Thursday alleged gross irregularities in granting of permission for operation of city buses on Prem Nagar-Raipur via Clock Tower route. The president of City Bus Union Vijay Vardhan Dandriyal told The Pioneer that the Prem Nagar-Raipur route via Ballupur Cowk, GMS road, Shimla Bypass, ISBT, Rispana Bridge, Jogiwala and Nehrugram was cleared in the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) meeting on December 2008, while the notification of the route was done on a later date (January 09, 2009).
He said that department flouting all rules added a sub route via Ballupur Chowk, Kishanagar, Clock Tower, Survey Chowk Raipur in Prem Nagar Raipur route. Dandariyal said that a Right to Information (RTI) revealed that the aforesaid route was added without notification and route survey. Alleging a major scam in unscrupulously adding a 20 km route the president of the union claimed that the addition of route reeked of corruption.
He said he had informed the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand and Transport Commissioner and demanded an in-depth inquiry into the matter. It is worth mentioning here that 34 city buses ply on the Prem Nagar-Raipur route via Clock tower. The agenda of RTA meeting on May 05, 2006 chaired by then Garhwal Commissioner Subhash Kumar added the report of the survey of Prem Nagar-Raipur route for the city buses.
Interestingly the survey had no mention of Clock tower sub route. However the RTA meeting on December 27, 2008 added the aforesaid sub route in its proceedings without conducting the required survey and issuing notification.