New Delhi: In a shocking display of bureaucratic inefficiency and a blatant waste of public funds, 400 brand-new Mahindra Bolero SUVs are currently rusting away unused on the premises of Chhattisgarh Security Force’s third battalion in Durg district.
These vehicles were procured at a cost of Rs 40 crore in July-August 2022 for the state’s Dial-112 emergency service but were never used. The SUVs were intended to provide rapid response to SOS calls, including medical emergencies and disaster relief across 22 cities but remain idle since the change in state government in late 2022.
The irony is deeply troubling. While these 400 emergency vehicles sit unused, citizens across Chhattisgarh face significant challenges accessing timely and adequate emergency services, NDTV reported.
Heart-wrenching accounts from the Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur and Ambikapur districts paint a stark picture of the inadequate system. In one instance, a woman with a fractured leg was forced to be carried to the hospital on a cot after waiting in vain for an ambulance. The incident was reported from the Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur district, represented in the Assembly by Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal.
Similarly, a pregnant woman in labour had to endure a harrowing journey on a cot to reach the hospital due to the unavailability of an ambulance. Dr Shailendra Gupta of Ambikapur district hospital attributed these failures partly to inadequate road access, preventing ambulances from reaching patients in remote areas.
The sheer number of unused SUVs – 400 in total – raises serious questions about the planning, procurement, and implementation processes. The vehicles, purchased months before the BJP government assumed power, have remained untouched for over a year, costing taxpayers dearly in lost potential.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma has publicly questioned the reasons for this colossal waste, demanding an explanation for the idle fleet. However, insiders suggest that even getting these vehicles back into service will involve significant delays and additional costs. The process of issuing a new tender for their deployment is expected to take 5-6 months, followed by another Rs 20,000 in maintenance per vehicle before they are roadworthy.
