Himachal Transport Minister lays 'naka' near Dehara Gopipur, fines pvt luxury buses plying illegally

Our Correspondent

Palampur, January 5

Himachal Transport Minister Bikram Singh Thakur laid a midnight naka near Dehara Gopipur to inspect the luxury Volvo buses plying illegally on the Baijnath- Delhi and Dharamsala-Delhi route as contract carriage. These buses were also picking passengers from different stations like stage carriage buses. The minister along with the team of officials personally inspected bus permits and other documents of luxury buses.

The minister had received a number of complaints that the operators of private buses were evading taxes and causing a loss of crores of rupees to the state exchequer. Based on the information, the minister inspected these buses and imposed heavy fines on one dozen buses which were not carrying required documents and evading tax. These were found involved in other violations. Besides, he debarred four basses for plying in Himachal Pradesh.

Talking to mediapersons, the minister said the bus operators were picking passengers randomly midway on the route, ignoring the rules. In fact, these buses have the permit of contract carriage. As per rules these buses have to pick up passengers from one station to another and cannot pick up passengers en route.

“These luxury buses are operating on a daily basis like stage carriage buses being run by the HRTC picking up passengers from stations like Baijnath, Paprola, Palampur, Kangra, Una, Dehara Gopipur, etc. While the stage carriage buses are liable to pay the state road tax (SRTC) that is charged from passengers per ticket, the contract carriage buses do not pay the state road tax. They pay tax per day basis only when they operate. That tax is much less than the stage carriage permit buses. These buses are operating blatantly picking up passengers on a daily basis”, the minister added.

Evading taxes

The minister had received a number of complaints that the operators of private buses were evading taxes and causing a loss of crores of rupees to the state exchequer. The minister inspected these buses and imposed heavy fines on one dozen buses which were not carrying required documents and evading tax.

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