After the national Capital reported several incidents of buses catching fire this season, Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah urging him to order a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the maintenance of old Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses. He also claimed that the buses running in the Capital city were catching fire because they were old and had reached end of life.

According to the Delhi BJP chief’s letter, “A `50 lakh tender has been awarded for the maintenance of the old DTC buses for three years and this smells of corruption.”

Gupta wrote, “There was a provision for phasing out these buses after running for 7.5 lakh kms or completing 12 years. But the Kejriwal Government wrongly changed the provision, making it 15 years.”

“The lives of Delhiites are in danger due to the negligence of the Delhi Government. A big accident might occur any day,” the Delhi BJP chief said, urging Shah to order a CBI probe into the matter.

Gupta further alleged that no new bus has been bought for the DTC since Arvind Kejriwal became Chief Minister of  Delhi. The number of DTC buses has come down from 6,200 to 3,700, he claimed.

According to a DTC official, “At present city has only two electric buses but by the  next week 100 more e-buses will arrive for the public service. The buses will be officially inaugurated by the chief minister or the transport minister.”

Last month, the Delhi Government formed a six-member committee to find the root cause of DTC buses catching fire. The committee’s report is awaited.