Mahavitaran EV car rental deal questioned as work order rises Rs 178 crore over tender

The agreement to hire electric vehicles (EVs) for Mahavitaran officers has come under scrutiny after it emerged that the value rose by about Rs 178 crore between the tender and the work order. The increase has raised serious questions about the deal across the state.

According to the information available, the tender to hire electric vehicles for about 1,200 Mahavitaran officers across the state was fixed at Rs 636 crore. The actual work order for the same tender, however, was issued for Rs 815 crore. The estimated cost of the tender had been put at Rs 636 crore. The total value of the work order given to MS Creative Mobility Pvt. Ltd. and one of its associate companies is stated to be Rs 815 crore, an increase of about Rs 178 crore over the original figure.

Further, the monthly rent approved for electric cars is one and a half to two times the rent earlier fixed for petrol and diesel vehicles for the different posts in Mahavitaran. Instead of saving on fuel costs, the EVs appear likely to place an additional financial burden on Mahavitaran.

On the rent figures, the monthly rent for a petrol or diesel car for the post of chief engineer was Rs 35,700. For an EV it has been raised to Rs 69,400. For the post of superintending engineer, the monthly rent for a petrol or diesel car was Rs 31,500, while the EV rent has been increased to Rs 58,500.

For divisional and sub-divisional officers, the monthly rent for a petrol or diesel vehicle was Rs 29,900. For an EV it has been set at Rs 47,600. The monthly rent for a flying squad vehicle was Rs 41,500 for a petrol or diesel car and has been set at Rs 57,200 for an EV.

Suppliers who have been hiring out petrol and diesel cars to Mahavitaran for years are raising questions. They ask whether all this is being done to give an undue benefit to a private company.

Hundreds of suppliers and drivers who have rented out petrol and diesel vehicles for many years are now on the verge of unemployment because of Mahavitaran's new EV policy. They have strongly objected to the costly decision and to the undue benefit to a private company, and have warned of an agitation. The suppliers have also expressed hope that the Chief Minister will intervene in the matter.