Vehicles private, but purpose commercial

Tribune News Service

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Jammu, July 31

The state transport authorities have failed to keep a check on the unfair practice of use of private vehicles for commercial purposes. The practice continues despite the issuance of a notice regarding cancellation or suspension of registration number by the Motor Vehicles Department.

Sources have said the problem is more in Kashmir, where there is more inflow of tourists from different parts of the country. There are around 44,000 commercial vehicles in the state registered with the department. In Jammu division, there are more than 9,000 registered commercial vehicles.

The department recently stopped some private cars ferrying passengers on the basis of a contract between an organisation and vehicle owners and imposed a heavy penalty.

“Most cases of this unfair practice are being registered on the outskirts of Jammu. Owners of private cars carry passengers and charge exorbitantly. Most tourists who come to Jammu to visit Vaishno Devi are the main target due to lack of knowledge about the transport system in Jammu,” said a source.

“This unfair practice has affected the earning of owners of commercial vehicles. The department needs to take concrete measures to check this menace,” he added.

Owners of private vehicles hardly bothered to follow the instructions of the department to desist from any commercial activity which did not fall under the ambit of commercial registration terms and conditions.

When contacted, Ashwani Khajuria, Regional Transport Officer, Jammu, said frequent checking of documents of vehicles was being carried out by the department to keep a check on this unfair practice.

“Though such cases are less in Jammu division compared to Kashmir, every possible measure is being taken by the department to tighten the noose around erring owners of private vehicles,” he said.