The BBMP may be cash-strapped, but travelling in style and luxury still seem to be a priority with the mayor, deputy mayor and a few chairmen of standing committees, who have shot off a letter to commissioner M. K. Shankarlinge Gowda, reportedly stating their preference for new Toyota Innovas to ferry them around the city.
While Mayor D. Venkatesh Murthy, Deputy Mayor L. Srinivas and chairmen of the market and social justice committee are believed to have opted for Innovas, the chairman of the accounts committee, Mr M. Gouthan Kumar, is keen on a Scorpio. “If we are given a Scorpio, at least five or six corporators can fit into it”, he reasoned. C. V. Ramannagar corporator and chairman of the social justice committee, Mr M. Krishna, said while he was happy with the Ambassador he had, using diesel-run cars would be money saving.
Mr Shankarlinge Gowda acknowledged that he had received requests for new cars from the mayor and deputy mayor. “The BBMP was planning to buy three new cars for official use. They can now be given to the mayor and the deputy mayor”, he said.