MLAs dump Ambassadors for SUVs

Bangalore: Our netas, who were quite identified by their white Ambassador cars, will now zoom around in luxury SUVs. Cars of various brands will be added to the fleet of the legislature secretariat and MLAs and MLCs can hire them to go anywhere in BBMP limits. Each legislator will have a driver attached to him.
Interestingly, such extravagance will come quite cheap.They'll have to pay only Rs 4 per km, far less than prevailing rates in Bangalore. Car rentals in the city are approximately Rs 900 for 4 hours or 40 km.
Legislature officials say they have a fleet of 48 Ambassadors of 1998 vintage but 35 of them are in not in mint condition and will be auctioned off in phases. These will be replaced by Innovas and other luxury cars.
The government has released money at Rs 9.75 lakh per Innova and will also add buses to its fleet. Two 19-seater buses, each costing Rs 36 lakh, will be bought and used to ferry groups of legislators within the city.
Sources say Speaker Jagadish Shettar mooted the idea. The legislature housing committee headed by deputy speaker K G Bopaiah has already greenlighted the project.