New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party Chief Spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj on Monday (September 27) said that toll tax revenue is getting stolen by BJP-ruled MCD, and it is going into the pockets of councillors and the higher ranks of BJP.
He said that BJP is waiving off dues of Rs 92.91 lakh of the toll company. He informed that the lockdown inside Delhi was from April 19 to June 7, while the MCD was going to give a waiver of toll tax to the toll company from April 10 to August 1. The Aam Aadmi Party will oppose this proposal in the standing committee of SDMC.
AAP Chief Spokesperson Shri Saurabh Bhardwaj said, "Toll tax is a major source of revenue for the Municipal Corporations in India, and it is in Delhi as well."
There are toll taxes on Delhi-Faridabad, Delhi-Gurugram borders and at many other places in and around Delhi. All the commercial vehicles also need to pay toll tax - Taxis, Goods Vehicles, Trucks, etc.
One of the major reasons behind MCD's bankruptcy is the shortage of revenue from toll taxes. This revenue gets stolen and it not only reaches the councillors in the BJP-ruledMCD but also to the higher ranks of the BJP.
We ask this question to Adesh Gupta and give him 24 hours time to respond, "How much toll tax should the MCD get per year and how much is it getting for the last 15 years?" Adesh Gupta is a councillor in the MCD as well and he knows very well how much money is being stolen and how it is being stolen from the MCD.
Shri Bharadwaj continued, "Not only this, but yesterday, a bigger corruption activity came to our notice. In Delhi, COVID lockdown extended from 19 April to 7 June. During this lockdown, all commercial vehicles would run to carry goods which come through toll tax. Taxis and cabs were still plying. However, yesterday MCD announced they are forgiving toll tax from 10 April to 1 August."
"Ninety Two Crores Ninety One Lakhs Eighty Five Thousands and Seven Hundred Eighty One rupees is being forgiven for this company and the reasoning is that since advertising and parking money has been forgiven, we must forgive toll tax as well. This money is divided into 3 MCDs but it is controlled by South Delhi MCD,” he added.
“Tomorrow SDMC’s standing committee will deliberate upon this and we will oppose this as well as in the MCD. This is a scheme of benefitting contractors and putting money in your own pockets. To Adesh Gupta, we ask: how much toll tax is supposed to come into Delhi and how much has been coming? The reality of the numbers is shocking. We have evidence and documents to prove the theft that is systematically happening with toll tax in Delhi”, he concluded.
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