TN begins crackdown on omnibuses registered outside state from today
Tamil Nadu govt has announced a ban on 800 buses registered in other states, such as Puducherry, Nagaland, and Karnataka, from operating locally starting Tuesday.
Commuters are advised to avoid these vehicles, as they will be detained by Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) if found transporting passengers.
If passengers are stranded due to the detention of these illegal buses, govt buses will provide alternative transportation.
The govt has advised passengers to seek relief from the bus owners. With 1,535 legally operating private buses in Tamil Nadu, members of the public are expected to face minimal inconvenience.
Demand for private buses is unlikely to increase with schools reopened and no festivals upcoming.
The transport department had set a June 17 deadline for vehicles registered in other states to re-register to avoid higher taxes.
These buses had paid lower taxes under the All India Tourist Permit (AITP), meant for bulk bookings by tourists and events, not regular services with multiple stops.
Only 105 of 905 such buses re-registered while the remaining 800 continued to operate illegally, ignoring multiple warnings, resulting in an annual financial loss of 34.56 crore to the govt, according to transport commissioner A Shanmuga Sundaram.
These buses also disrupt revenue and operations of state transport corporations by not paying required fees and reducing fares unethically, Sundaram added.