More than a year after the BMC bought its first electric vehicle (EV) for the then mayor Kishori Pednekar, the BMC has scrapped its deal to deliver four more EVs as the selected company allegedly failed to supply the remaining EVs on time and also hiked its rates. The company, Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), which is a central government company, claimed that it was the BMC that delayed signing an agreement with it, due to which there was a delay and the cost went up.
In May last year, instead of buying new EVs, the BMC decided to rent these cars for a period of eight years. By renting, the BMC was to spend around Rs 32 lakh per car. The BMC had planned to lease five electric cars for civic netas such as the then leader of the House Shiv Sena corporator Vishakha Raut, leader of the Opposition Congress Corporator Ravi Raja and mayor Kishori Pednekar among others. In August 2021, only one EV, for Pednekar was delivered and received with much fanfare by then environment minister Aaditya Thackeray and municipal commissioner Iqbal Chahal.
“Only one EV was delivered last year and it is in use. EESL revised the lease rate from Rs 27,500 per month and also informed that they need a minimum six months to deliver EVs. Hence delivery of remaining four EVs has been cancelled and a new tender for upfront purchase of 35 EVs under 15th Finance Commission grant has been invited,” said a senior civic official.
EESL on its part said that the BMC failed to sign an agreement with the company on time. “EESL had submitted a proposal for supplying EVs on a lease rate Rs 27,500 per month in 2019. BMC responded with a letter of acceptance (LoA) to purchase of five EVs. EESL supplies electric vehicles on lease to government departments after an agreement with the latter. Till date, the BMC has not signed the agreement with EESL for supply of four EVs on lease. On request of BMC, EESL delivered 1 EV for inauguration by the then state Environment Minister on Independence Day,” EESL said in a statement.”
The company added that the delay was caused by BMC in signing an agreement with EESL for deployment of the remaining four EVs. As a result, EVs available with EESL for the lease rate of Rs 27,500 was exhausted, it said.
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