Asked for Rs 36 lakh, UP gave 19 lakh: Rajasthan govt complains over Kota students' buses

Amid the lockdown due to the Coronavirus crisis, the 'bus politics' between Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan over bringing back students from Kota has been continuing. Rajasthan Transport Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas on Friday said that out of the total bill of Rs 36 lakhs for the diesel and for the buses provided by Rajasthan for the students, the UP government has paid only Rs 19 lakhs till now. 

Speaking to the media, the Rajasthan Transport Minister said, "In April, UP Transport Corporation wrote a letter and requested on phone as well to provide diesel for the UP buses that are being run to bring back students from Kota in Rajasthan. They said payment will be made later." He further added, "Our officials of Rajasthan Roadways Department provided them fuel for about 100-120 buses. The UP Transport Department asked for buses, our department provided them with buses too."

Meanwhile, the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) has demanded the entire payment of over Rs 36 lakh from the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) for transporting students of Uttar Pradesh from Kota to Agra and Jhansi. Writing a letter to the UPSRTC, the Rajasthan Transport Corporation said that between April 17 and 19 they have provided transportation to students of Uttar Pradesh from Kota to Agra and Jhansi. They further added, "The due amount to RSRTC is Rs 36,36,664 which is to be paid via RTGS medium. The amount is still due and the Corporation requests its payment without delay."

Read: Rajasthan sends UP Rs 36 lakh bill for transport of students from Kota; wants RTGS payment

Buses not allowed to enter UP

On Sunday, a Rajasthan cabinet minister claimed that the state government had kept 500 private buses ready to ferry migrant workers to Uttar Pradesh but they were not allowed to enter by the Yogi Adityanath government. Vishvendra Singh, Minister for Tourism and Devasthan, Rajasthan said the buses were stopped at Bahej village on the Uttar Pradesh-Rajasthan border for almost the entire day. Later, the buses were asked to return to Rajasthan, amid the Priyanka Vadra-UP government political row over buses.

Read: Rajasthan govt to run special buses to immerse ashes in UP and Uttarakhand

Meanwhile, Vadra on Tuesday also claimed that the UP administration had blocked more than 500 buses for several hours at the Uncha Nagla border. In the video posted by her, state Congress chief Ajay Singh Lallu and other party officials are seen talking to UP police officials demanding the buses to be allowed entry into the state. She also requested the Uttar Pradesh government to allow 897 buses arranged by her party to run. 

Read: Rajasthan students to have their classes on Doordarshan from June 1

Read: Record number of workers employed under MGNREGA in Rajasthan: Deputy CM

(With ANI Inputs)