Delhi police kept in the dark about vehicles and drivers being engaged to ferry dignitaries
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Changing hands: Lalit K Bhanot, Secretary General, Organising
Committee CWG and Nitin Seth, Head-Car Product Group, Tata Motors
Limited signed the MoU in New Delhi. file pic
In yet another goof up, the Organising Committee has failed to brief the Delhi police about its plans to engage vehicles and drivers to be used to ferry VIPs and state dignitaries during the 12-day sporting extravaganza.
The OC entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tata Motors last week to provide a total of 1,789 vehicles, including 1,550 Tata Indigo cars, 100 Tata Safari cars, 109 Sumo Grande SUVs and 30 trucks for transportation of athletes and dignitaries.
According to the terms of the MoU, Tata motors will also provide drivers and 24-hour maintenance backup for the vehicles. However, the Delhi police was not taken into the loop by the organisers while deciding the travel plans of several VIPs.
A senior Delhi police official, requesting anonymity, told MiD DAY that the force was kept in the dark by the organisers and with less than 40 days left for the event they cannot even check the antecedents of the drivers.
"Neither have we been told about the plans nor have they (OC) asked us to conduct a verification of the drivers," the officer said.
Sources familiar with the development said the OC took too much time to decide the deal.
"At a time when there is an acute shortage of drivers, it will not be an easy job for the company to get drivers. Leave alone drivers with good antecedents," said a senior Organising Committee official, who wished not to be named.
Another senior police official said even if Tata Motors runs a check on the background of the drivers, it cannot be assumed fool-proof as it will concern the safety and security of games athletes and dignitaries.
Tata motors is already being promoted as the official transport provider for the CWG. Tata motors had provided 20 Sumo Grande, one Land Rover, three trucks, and two buses for the baton relay. The fuel, drivers and maintenance backup services for the vehicles during the Relay have also been taken care of by the dealers of Tata Motors in different cities.
The city government is coming up withu00a0 special registration numbers for these vehicles.
NO DRIVING FORCE
There is a huge shortage of drivers in the city as well as in the country. Several attempts by DTC to hire drivers have been unsuccessful even after paying handsome salaries and coming out with listings of job vacancies several times. Even the NOIDA police have hired private drivers for their new PCR vans.
FENNEL IN TOWN
Against the backdrop of a spate of controversies surrounding the Delhi Commonwealth Games, the Games Federation president Michael Fennell arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday night on a two-day visit. Fennell will inspect various stadiums, which have been hit by construction delays, and meet government officials to get an update on security for the October 3-14 mega event. Fennell's visit also gains importance because a few of the Commonwealth nations have raised doubts about security during the event and they would be eagerly waiting for a report from the CWF chief to take a final decision.
During his visit to the Capital in March earlier this year, Fennell had said that he was satisfied with preparations but with just 45 days to go for the Games, it remains to be seen how he reacts this time around. Fennell was also very concerned after a spate of corruption charges were levelled against the Organising Committee, especially its chairman Suresh Kalmadi and the CWF chief is expected to seek a lot of answers from the OC in this regard.
