Admn seizes vehicles for poll purposes

RANCHI: The administration has started seizing vehicles for election purposes causing much inconvenience to bus owners, passengers, traders, farmers and public in general.
While buses, trekkers and other modes of transport are virtually off the roads, the few that are still plying are charging exorbitant fare.
Prices of fruits that come from outside the state have also gone up.On the other hand, local growers are having a tough time with prices of vegetables hitting rock bottom, as they are unable to send it to other places.
The Katantoli bus stand too, wears a deserted look. Not more than 10 buses could be seen, where, on an average 200 buses are parked everyday. Even these buses stand the risk of being seized, said Bapi, a bus agent.
In absence of buses, three-wheelers do carry passengers, but are charging high fare. For going to Jamshedpur from Ranchi, a destination which costs barely Rs 50 to 60, one has to pay anything between Rs 120 to 150.
The administration on the other hand claims that it has seized only 500 vehicles against the minimum required number i.e. 4,000.
According to Ranchi Motor Association president Jai Singh Yadav, bus owners are hiding their vehicles in order to avoid seizure, as the administration has not paid for services in the past elections.
The owners are ready to deposit buses if the administration pays the agreed rate of Rs 1,025 excluding the drivers expense per day, he said.
Moreover, the administration simply sends notices to bus owners to deposit vehicles, failing which seizure would follow. However, some bus owners bribe officials to avoid seizure.
Yadav said, if the administration asks the union, the union would deposit the vehicles, leaving some with each owner. DC Pradeep Kumar said, there is no other option. He, however, assured payments would be made timely.