Cab owners not paid for vehicles used during polls

AHMEDABAD: Even after more than three months to the state assembly elections, cab owners are yet to get complete payments for the cabs they had rented out to the collector office ahead of the elections for polling-related activities, say cab owners. Representatives of Gujarat Luxury Cab Owners Association (GLCOA) alleged that so far some 65% of their total payment is pending with the Ahmedabad collector office for some 700-800 cars they had hired.
Kirit Patel, president, GLCOA, said, "We had rented out around 700-800 sedan and MUVs to the collector office however, we are yet to receive a complete payment. So far, some 30-35% payment has been made and the remaining 65% is still to be cleared. This totally amounts to nearly Rs 1.5 crore."
"When we met with officials at the collector office, ahead of the elections, we were assured of getting payments within a week or two. Based on that commitment, we've taken cars from the market and supplied to the government. However, it has been three months for the complete payment to be released. It is so embarrassing that creditors come to our homes to collect the dues," said Ritesh Shah, owner of a city-based travel agency.
"We're forced to take loans to pay the creditors and suppliers in absence of payment and end up paying interest on our earning. My dues amount to Rs 82 lakh and our business is not so huge that we can afford so much loose payment," said Shah.
Some others also said they're facing difficulties in doing business as they're forced to travel long distances at the respective legislative assembly where they had supplied their cars and follow-up for their dues to be cleared, which is an additional expense too.
"My payment worth Rs 14 lakh is still pending with the office. I had provided some 60-62 cars for the purpose. It is difficult to do business this way," said Navin Patel of a city-based travel agency.
A senior official of the Ahmedabad collector office, said that the office is awaiting a grant from the government, and once received, the payments of cab owners would be cleared. However, no deadline has been specified for this.