Tata, Ashok Leyland term Delhi government claim on buses baseless

New Delhi Jan 31 (IANS) Domestic bus manufacturers Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland on Wednesday told the Delhi High Court that that the claim of the Delhi government they are quoting unrealistic and exorbitantly high price are "baseless".

The two companies told a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar that the Delhi government has not floated any tender for procurement of low-floor buses since 2014.

The counsel of Tata Motors said that the company is not opposed to any initiative but the government should at least meet them.

The court however asked the two companies to file an affidavit explaining the factual position with regard to supply of buses in past and the Delhi government explaining the reason for not floating any tender to procure low floor buses and posted the matter for further hearing on February 7.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Nipun Malhotra who had challenged the Delhi government s move to procure 2 000 standard-floor buses at a cost of Rs 300 crore.

Malhotra had claimed that these were not equipped for wheelchair access and thus will directly and substantially affect about 2.34 lakh disabled people in the national capital.

The court had earlier refused to stay the procurement but slammed the Delhi government for not buying low-floor disabled-friendly CNG buses due to high cost.

--IANS
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