4 RTAs in dock over allowing operators clock more distance

The Regional Transport Authorities (RTAs) in Patiala, Jalandhar, Ferozepur and Bathinda allegedly allowed private transporters to cover extra kilometres in violation of the Punjab Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.

Benefitting private transporters, including political bigwigs, the RTAs allowed clubbing of the stage carriage permits on different routes, which were shown as composite permits in the timetable. This move caused a massive loss to the state exchequer.

Pvt transporters flout norms

• The RTAs illegally permit a transporter to cover extra kilometres by bunching different route permits
• Transporters get permits of small operators transferred to their names from RTAs
• Different permits are then clubbed to cover longer distance. For instance, permits for Patiala to Sirhind, Sirhind to Khanna, Khanna to Ludhiana and Ludhiana to Jalandhar are clubbed, allowing them to cover Patiala to Jalandhar route

Transport Minister Laljit Bhullar today said investigations revealed that permits were not only clubbed illegally but also without jurisdictional authority.

“The Transport Department has observed several irregularities, including clubbing of permits for different routes, issuance of multiple composite permits disguised as a single entity and unauthorised retention of excess return trips instead of mandated surrender. I have done scrutiny of all composite permits consolidated under Rule 80-A of the Punjab Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989,” said Bhullar.

The move comes in response to a surge in legal cases in the Punjab and Haryana High Court where several operators contested the legitimacy of composite stage carriage permits.

Recently, the State Transport Secretary (STC) had written to all four RTAs stating that permits falling on different routes had been clubbed.

Instead of issuing composite permit for a single route, a number of permits had been bunched together for different routes, the STC pointed out.

Irrespective of the party in power, the practice of clubbing the bus permits has been going on for the past many years.