Upset Delhi LG asks CM Atishi to speed up re-hiring of bus marshals

New Delhi: The delay in reappointment of bus marshals appears to be building up as a fresh flashpoint between Lieutenant Governor (LG) V.K. Saxena and the Delhi government, with Raj Niwas on Saturday pointing out to Chief Minister Atishi that her officials have missed the November 1 deadline for doing so.

Slamming the unnecessary politicisation of the matter by AAP leaders, the LG said, “Unfortunately no concrete proposal has been sent to me by the government.”

In the letter addressed to the Chief Minister, the LG highlighted the non-engagement of about 10,000 civil defence volunteers (CDVs) as bus marshals and asked the CM to formulate a scheme for their immediate as well as long-term engagement.

Seeking immediate intervention from the CM on the matter, the LG said she should direct officials to draft a proposal to be sent to Raj Niwas for their long-term engagement.

The services of bus marshals were terminated in October last year.

Amid claims and counter-claims by officials of Raj Niwas and the AAP government about alleged attempts to delay reinstatement of bus marshals, the LG’s latest letter makes it clear that the ball now is in CM Atishi’s court.

With Assembly elections just three months away, the delay in appointment of bus marshals is set to be a hotly debated issue, with the Opposition BJP and the Congress accusing the AAP government of mismanagement.

“On October 24, I had asked you to ensure the reinstatement of bus marshals by November 1 in view of the festival season,” the LG wrote in Hindi.

He said that the CM and her party colleagues had been making attempts to take the political credit for reappointment of bus marshals but “any delay in the welfare of these poor and helpless people shall not be appropriate.”

Saxena said he had sought early reappointment of civil defence volunteers as a measure to deal with polluted air in the city.

“Their timely reinstatement would have helped fight pollution and contributed to their welfare,” said the LG, expressing displeasure over the delay in the matter.

Last month, the Delhi government had passed a Cabinet note for immediate reinstatement of bus marshals for enhanced safety in public transport.

Both AAP and BJP legislators had also met the LG last month over the issue as a follow-up to a resolution passed by the Delhi Assembly.