"I have my own three cars. I don't need a car worth Rs 20 lakh," the mayor told The Indian Express on Friday. Pimpri-Chinchwad Mayor Usha Dhore, for whom the civic standing committee has approved a plan to buy a luxury car, has said that she was not keen on getting a new vehicle.
“I have my own three cars. I don’t need a car worth Rs 20 lakh,” the mayor told The Indian Express on Friday.
On Wednesday, the civic standing committee had approved a proposal to buy a car worth Rs 20 lakh for the mayor. The committee said the government has set a guideline regarding purchase of vehicles for civic office-bearers and according to that, it would be within the rules if the mayor is made available a luxury car of that value.
– Stay updated with the latest Pune news. Follow Express Pune on Twitter here and on Facebook here. You can also join our Express Pune Telegram channel here.
When contacted, committee chairman Santosh Londe said, “We have recommended the civic administration to purchase a car worth Rs 20 lakh for the mayor. This is because mayor’s car is four years old and the deputy mayor’s car is giving trouble. In the last one month or so, the deputy mayor’s car has developed problems at least seven to eight times. Besides, the deputy mayor finds it uncomfortable to get into the car because of the height problem.”
Londe said they have recommended the purchase of the vehicle to the administration. “The administration will have to take the call now,” he said.
Shiv Sena corporator Rahul Kalate, who is one of the standing committee member, said, “As per my information the mayor had demanded the new car and therefore the committee has rushed forth to make the new car available at her disposal.”
The mayor, however, denied that she was hankering for a new car. “I have not demanded a new car. The deputy mayor and BJP House leader personally met me and told me that since the deputy mayor’s car was having problem, my car can go to him and I can get a new car,” Dhore said.
The mayor said she was “not at all” interested in buying a new car. “The Innova car put at my disposal is in good condition. Besides, I own three cars. And I don’t travel outside the city and therefore what will I do with a luxury car,” she said.
Civic activist Maruti Bhapar said,”At a time when PCMC was struggling to get revenue for the past 10-11 months due to COVID, why should it spend precious money on such fancy things ? When the mayor’s car was in good condition, there is no reason to buy a new one for her. Besides, PCMC should get the deputy mayor’s car repaired from the same dealer from which it was bought.”