Hyderabad, December 29: The road ahead may be bumpy for Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy but the journey is going to be a lot smoother than ever before. Surprised? Leave aside politics for a while. It’s time for New Year gifts.
In a month from now, the Chief Minister will be travelling in brand new Toyota Fortuners – one of the most powerful and luxurious cars in the world.
And not to forget, expensive too.
Kiran Kumar Reddy needs to thank his predecessor K Rosaiah for the gift for it was he who had cleared the proposal to “upgrade” his convoy of Scorpios.
Can’t blame Peddayana though. He needed a bit of luck. But then, fortune is like a flirt as they say.
Besides Fortuners for Kiran Kumar Reddy, the government has also cleared a proposal for purchasing 25 Scorpios for ministers and top bureaucrats.
Company sources told Express that an order for 15 Toyota Fortuner vehicles was placed a few months ago. “We have already delivered two black coloured SUVs to the Police Transport Organisation (PTO) and even registration has been completed,” a customer relations employee working for a Toyota dealer said.
The two vehicles, which arrived from the Toyota Kirloskar Motors Pvt Ltd in Karnataka, have been sent for bulletproofing (BP). The two will be part of the Chief Minister’s convoy (of six vehicles).
The remaining four vehicles in the convoy including the jammer will be without bullet-proofing. An RTA official confirmed registration for the two vehicles and said, “the number adds up to nine.” While there will be six vehicles in the CM’s convoy, one will be kept in spare and the remaining SUVs will be used at the discretion of the government.
It is learnt that the spacious SUVs will have specially designed seats for the VVIP besides extra fittings for his comfort. “Each Fortuner costs around `23 lakh. With bullet-proofing, it will cost around `50 lakh,” sources said.
Interestingly, these vehicles cost less than Opposition leader N Chandrababu Naidu’s bullet-proof Safaris. Each of his two bullet-proof Safaris cost the government around Rs 60 lakh. Sources said the government chose Toyota Fortuners as “they are massive, luxurious and most importantly, come with enormous power.” When contacted, a GAD official said the purchase of the new vehicles would cost the exchequer a few crores of rupees.
Costly, luxurious
* RTA officials register two numbers for the CM’s new fleet of Fortuners — 414 and 423. Once all the vehicles are ready, they will have either of the two numbers
* The 3.0 litre diesel Fortuners cost Rs 23 lakh, weigh 1955 kg each. After bullet-proofing each will cost around Rs 50 lakh
* Toyota Fortuners currently being used by Ministers A Geeta Reddy, Danam Nagendar, Anam Ramnarayan Reddy, Mukesh Goud, V Vasant Kumar, Ramreddy Venkat Reddy besides some top bureaucrats.
* Existing Scorpios purchased during the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s regime in Sept, 2007.
–Agencies