TMT bus fare hike raises eyebrows

The decision of the Thane Municipal Transport (TMT) to hike fare has come under public criticism. The TMT management had claimed that the “tough decision” was forced on it since its operational and establishment expenditure had been spiralling up.

However, it now transpires that it really has no clue about the actual expenditure it incurred as the annual audit has not been done since 2001.

TMT’s deputy transport manager Kamlakar Dixit said, “An auditor of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) is expected to carry out the annual audit. But it does not happen on annual basis as the TMC auditor is preoccupied with other assignments.”

But TMC chief Nandkumar Jantre blamed it on the TMT management. “Annual audit has not been possible since the TMT management never provided us with relevant documents,” he said.

Jantre said responsibility for non-compliance would be fixed. Since its inception in 1989, the undertaking has been audited by an external auditor only once in 2000-2001.

In his audit, then TMC chief auditor, DA Patil raised serious objections on the entire functioning of TMT. Of the 477 objections raised, only 79 were addressed in the last six years.

Dixit told DNA, “In view of the huge losses uncured by the undertaking, a fare hike was inevitable. The expenditure went up manifold due to fuel price hike and salary hike given to employees.”