MUMBAI: Six new Toyota Innova Crysta vehicles, a fleet of old Mahindra Scorpio-N SUVs and a BJP leader who says he regularly travels by train have come together in the latest car controversy involving Mumbai’s Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).The civic administration has proposed spending around Rs 1.5 crore to replace the Scorpio-N SUVs used by key elected office-bearers with six new Innova Crystas. The vehicles are proposed for the deputy mayor, leader of the house, leader of the opposition, and chairpersons of the standing, improvements and education committees.The BMC said political office-bearers had sought more comfortable vehicles for long commutes across Mumbai and official site inspections. The proposal follows the allotment of Toyota Innova Hycross Hybrid vehicles to mayor Ritu Tawde and additional municipal commissioners.However, the proposal has triggered questions over who actually demanded the upgrade. Opposition party leader in the BMC Kishori Pednekar said she had not asked for a new vehicle.“I was given a Scorpio vehicle since I was appointed leader of the opposition earlier this year. These are new cars and there’s no need to change the same,” she said.Mayor Ritu Tawde, however, said some committee chairpersons travel from far-off suburbs such as Dahisar, Kandivali and Borivali and need greater comfort. “There is no separate tender being called for the vehicles and instead, the chairpersons have only asked for another kind of vehicle instead of what has been provided to them,” she said.Tawde also claimed Pednekar had earlier agreed to the change of vehicle but had now changed her stance.BJP leader Ganesh Khankar, meanwhile, said the BMC should scrap the practice of providing different categories of cars to political leaders and civic officials. “The same type of vehicle should be provided to everyone, whether elected representatives or civic officials,” he said.Khankar added that he had never demanded a particular car and regularly travels by train.The BMC has said the vehicle replacement system is followed once a car completes its prescribed age. An official said the Scorpios replaced by the new Innovas could be given to ward-level officials currently using older vehicles.Khankar said the vehicles are hired on contract and the BMC pays a monthly rental, adding, “Therefore, there is no question of the civic body making a permanent capital expenditure on these vehicles.”The proposal had drawn criticism from opposition parties and also led to protests by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), which purchased Toyota Innova models and announced that they would be couriered to BMC office-bearers and the civic administration.Amid the widespread criticism, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said public money should be spent only on development works and civic amenities, and directed the BMC to stop wasteful expenditure and focus on the needs of citizens.
