New Delhi:The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) exposed scathing financial irregularities in the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC). The report revealed that DTC suffered a loss of Rs 60,750 crore in 2021-22 and incurred an avoidable liability of Rs 63.10 crore due to wrongfully claiming Input Tax Credit (ITC) for Goods and Services Tax (GST) on exempted services. The Chief Minister, Rekha Gupta, tabled the report in the Delhi Assembly on Monday.
The findings reflect poorly on the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, which allegedly failed to implement measures to curb the mounting losses of the DTC and ensure its fiscal sustainability. The report paints a grim picture of the DTC’s financial stability and operational inefficiencies.
According to the CAG, DTC’s losses escalated by Rs 35,000 crore in six years, increasing from Rs 25,300 crore in 2015-16 to Rs 60,750 crore in 2021-22. The public auditor attributed these financial woes to operational inefficiency, deficient route planning, and missed opportunities to generate revenue. The fleet utilisation of DTC ranged between 76.95 per cent and 85.84 per cent, with vehicle productivity per day per bus recorded between 180 km and 201 km—falling short of the target of 189-200 km. The report also highlighted that 656 overaged buses remained in operation as of March 31, 2022, leading to frequent breakdowns and reduced efficiency.
The CAG noted that DTC was operating on only 468 out of 814 approved routes—just 57 per cent of its network—while failing to recover operational costs on any of its routes. Additionally, the Corporation has not revised its bus fares since 2009, limiting its ability to generate sufficient revenue. “The fare for the Corporation’s buses was last revised and took effect on November 3, 2009,” the report stated, adding that the lack of autonomy in fare determination had further hampered its financial viability.
The Corporation’s financial woes were exacerbated by outstanding dues amounting to Rs 225.31 crore recoverable from the Transport Department. These dues included unpaid rent, service tax, and water charges for space transferred for Cluster bus operations. Additionally, Rs 6.26 crore in property tax and ground rent on depots, along with Rs 4.62 crore for vehicles provided to the Transport Department, remained unrecovered. The report also highlighted missed opportunities for revenue augmentation, citing delays in awarding advertising contracts and the underutilisation of available space at depots for commercial purposes.
With the CAG report exposing severe financial and operational mismanagement within the DTC, the need for immediate reforms has become evident. The report underscores the necessity of better financial planning, route optimisation, fare revisions, and revenue-generation strategies to ensure the sustainability of Delhi’s public transport system.
