New Delhi, August 1
With only two months left in office of the Congress-ruled Delhi government, the infusion of 1,750 additional low-floor buses on the city roads hangs in limbo.

The government had decided to buy 650 new low-floor buses for which it found no takers even after floating tenders more than thrice. The figure was later increased to 1,750 in order to replace all the old worn-out buses of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), which are around 1,600 in number.

As the government received no response from earlier tenders, this time it has decided to float global tenders to allow companies from all across the world to apply for supplying for buses. The process of tendering will begin after a meeting on August 8, though the purchase of buses might have to wait for the formation of new government with limited number of working days left with the government.

"We cannot say as to when the new fleet of 1,750 buses will be bought. But tendering process will be started next week itself," said Ramakant Goswami, Transport Minister.

There are only two major players to supply low-floor buses to the government, Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland, who have quoted exorbitant prices for buses and maintenance cost. "We would, thus, invite global tenders to import buses," said Goswami.

He said that special conditions will be put in the tender for testing the compatibility of buses on Indian roads. "The tender will have clause to carry out trail runs on Delhi roads before reaching any decision," said the minister.

However, pushing forward the cluster scheme being undertaken by the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System, the Transport Department has decided to provide land for around 800 buses under cluster number 6, 7 and 8.

Goswami said that in Gazipur-Mayur Vihar terminal space for 150 buses has been identified, in Harinagar 80 buses, BBM terminal 70 buses, Kalkaji 100, Naraina 100, Kair depot 250, Rajghat depot 50, Millennium depot 20 and Dwarka 100 buses.

New Delhi August 1
BJP MLA Harshvardhan today demanded from the Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Delhi that investigations into the alleged CNG-testing scam that is quantum run into more than Rs 1,000 crore must be transferred to the CBI immediately.

The alleged scam is being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of the Delhi Government, he said.

"The probe being conducted by the ACB does not inspire confidence. Therefore, in the interests of transparency and justice, the LG should ask the CBI to take over the case," he said.

While refraining from commenting on the details of the scam which is sub judice, Harshvardhan told mediapersons at a conference, "I have facts brought out by activists under the RTI Act which point out to the complicity by senior ministers of the Sheila Dikshit government in the scam."

"It is my moderate estimate that around Rs 1,000 crore has been looted from bus owners in the name of CNG testing but the ACB, despite having the confessions of the four arrested persons, is afraid of carrying out raids for seizing the money or freezing bank accounts of suspected ministers and bureaucrats", he said.

"Not even one paisa has been recovered. Nor does there seem to be a will to do so because the Chief Minister has not been approached for permission to question her and top cabinet ministers and bureaucrats," he added.

New Delhi, August 1
Prof Mahendra P Lama has taken over as the new Pro Vice-Chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) here. He was the founding Vice-Chancellor of Sikkim University set up in 2007, thus becoming the youngest Vice-Chancellor of a central Indian university at the age of 45.

Also, till very recently a member of the National Security Advisory Board of the Central government, he has a long association with Jawaharlal Nehru University where he has been teaching South Asian economies, and is also the chairman of the Centre for South, Central, South-East Asian and South West Pacific Studies.

Prof Lama, 52, is nominated by the government as a member of the steering committee of the coveted South Asian Forum set up by the heads of the states and governments at the 16th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in 2010.

Further, Prof Lama also served as the Chief Economic Adviser in the Government of Sikkim with a cabinet minister rank for seven years (2000-2007). He has been nominated by the President to executive boards of various leading education institutions of India, including IGNOU, North East Hill University, NCERT and Hyderabad University.

Apart from this, he has authored and edited 22 books while working on several issues like human security, migration, refugees, trade, investment and energy cooperation in South Asia. His works have been published in many noted journals and also translated into a number of foreign languages.

New Delhi, August 1
Advocate Surya Prakash Khatri has been elected as the new chairman of the Bar Council of Delhi. Khatri is practicing in the civil and criminal matters in district courts, high court and also in the Supreme Court.

Khatri was first elected as member of the Bar Council in 1998 and served as honorary secretary twice. During his second stint as member, he also served as vice-chairman of the council.