400 Brand New Mahindra Boleros Nearly Abandoned For Over A Year: Here’s Why

It isn’t rare that we get to see the taxpayers’ money getting wasted in the country. One of the recent instances is from  Chhattisgarh, where 400 brand new Mahindra Boleros are rotting to death in the Durg district! These vehicles were bought fresh, with the intention of being inducted into the state’s emergency Dial-112 services, spread across 22 cities. Soon after their acquisition, things took a turn and the same led to all of them ending up in the Chhattisgarh Security Force’s third battalion campus- unused, untouched for months! So what happened to these vehicles? Let’s find out…

The government acquired these vehicles last year. The Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government was in power back then. The total purchase cost was around 40 crores. Soon after their procurement, Congress was voted out, changing the fate of these vehicles. BJP rose to power in Chattisgarh, and decided to leave these parked and not to use them at all!

The vehicles that were intended to respond to SOS calls were now making them! These Boleros have been parked since then, rotting to death. The third battalion campus has become their graveyard.

SOS And Disaster Management Services In Chattisgarh

The state is already facing lack or shortage of SOS and rapid response vehicles and man power. Vehicles such as these Boleros are needed to respond to crises, take people to hospitals and play key roles in disaster management. Several parts of the state have been reporting laid-back and inefficient disaster response and a strong scarcity of public vehicles during emergencies. Accessing timely and adequate emergency services has become cumbersome in rural areas.

In Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur district, a woman recently fractured her leg and reached out for an ambulance that never came to her rescue. She had to be taken to the hospital on a cot! This happened in a place represented in the Assembly by Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal!

“We called the ambulance, but they told us it was picking up another patient. We were asked to take the patient ourselves,” says Parmeshwar, the injured woman’s relative.

Another case from Ambikapur had a pregnant lady call for an ambulance after she went into labour. The vehicle did not come to pick her up. Reacting promptly to the situation, the family rushed her to the hospital on a cot. Dr. Shailendra Gupta of Ambikapur District Hospital later explained that the ambulance could not reach the lady’s doorstep and was waiting on the main road. This is a common challenge faced by the remote areas of the state. Infrastructural development needs to be done as soon as possible in these places.

Deputy Chief Minister Raises Questions

Given the pathetic condition of the state’s SOS system, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma has raised concerns on the rotting SUVs. He has openly questioned 40 crores being wasted for no good reason at all, when the state is in dire need for basic services.  “We have raised questions regarding the status of these vehicles and why they remain unused. We will soon receive an answer.” he told the media.

It should, however, be noted that each of these vehicles will require at least 20,000 rupees in mending costs if they are to be repaired and used. That makes it at least 80,00,000 for the entire fleet! Again a drain of taxpayer money. Also, it could take at least another 5-6 months for a new tender to be issued for the same.