Kerala AITP Row: Buses With AITP Can Function Like Stage-Carriage Buses Says MVD Officials
In a further development of the Kerala AITP row, MVD officials insist that buses with AITP can legally pick up passengers along the way. Read the complete story.
Since the last two weeks, a lot has been happening around buses with AITP in Kerala. Last week, the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) announced that contract carriage buses plying with AITP are flouting rules by operating as stage carriage buses.
Essentially, what they mean to say is that contract-carriage buses cannot pick up passengers along the way like stage carriage buses.
Kerala AITP Row: What Actually Happened?
Last week, Kerala Transport Minister Antony Raju sparked a row after he claimed that private buses were illegally operating under the All India Tourist Permit (AITP).
He alleged that buses plying as contract-carriage on inter-state routes were non-compliant with established rules and were encroaching on routes designated for stage-carriage buses.
Raju underscored how contract carriage services operating under the All India Tourist Permit in Kerala are leading to revenue losses for both the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC).
The Motor Vehicle Department in Kerala even announced its plans to crack down on contract carriage buses operating inter-state services in the state under the guise of an All India Tourist Permit (AITP).
The Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) also halted the operations of a private contract carriage named “Robin,” which was running from Pathanamthitta to Coimbatore under the authorization of an AITP.
The department further announced that it has compiled a list of 52 such vehicles. Respective owners of these vehicles have been given a two-week window to re-register their vehicles in Kerala if they wish to continue operating in the state.
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This sparked a row among bus owners because the AITP allows a tourist bus to operate across India’s entire territory without being subject to taxes or fees imposed by the respective State or Union territory through which it travels.
Given the escalating situation, a high-level meeting was set up on September 12 in Thiruvananthapuram, bringing together Road Transport Officers (RTOs) and District Transport Officials for deliberations.
The meeting concluded that these contract carriage buses with AITP were flouting rules and using the permit to illegally ply as stage carriage buses.
MVD Officials Insist that Buses With AITP Can Pick Up Passengers Along the Way
Bus operators and some MVD officials argue that contract-carriage buses holding the All India National Permit can legally pick up passengers along the way, mirroring the operations of stage-carriage buses. They base this assertion on provisions within the Central Motor Vehicle Rules.
Operators argue that buses with AITP permits are operating within the legal framework, citing provisions outlined in the Central Motor Vehicle Rules. Sections 82 to 85 (A) of these rules were ‘waived’ to enable buses with AITP to operate on any route, allowing them to function much like stage-carriage buses.
However, it is essential for operators to ensure that buses holding AITP strictly adhere to all technical specifications, including having wide, push-back seats and pneumatic doors as outlined in the bus-body code AIS-052. The age of these vehicles mustn’t exceed 12 years.
Notably, the age limit for KSRTC’s super-class buses is set to be extended to 12 years from the current five years. This, coupled with lax maintenance, has already contributed to the deteriorating condition of most super-class buses of the agency.
Additionally, KSRTC faces constraints in introducing new buses due to financial limitations, leading to a surge in demand for private buses with AITP permits.
Officials Still Unclear About AITP Bus Permit
MVD officials, tasked with enforcing AITP rules, find themselves in a dilemma as operators argue that their buses are better maintained than KSRTC’s super-class buses, further complicating matters.
Another senior MVD official emphasized that AITP must be promptly issued to an applicant within seven days of receiving an online application or unequivocally rejected. Stringent measures are being implemented to ensure that buses and other vehicles conform to all technical specifications. Court directives on this matter are currently under review, and physical verification of the vehicles will be carried out.
Bus operator Baby Gireesh, owner of Robin Travels, Kerala, highlighted that the State government stands to generate approximately Rs 6 lakh annually from a 40-seater bus with an AITP permit. An additional Rs 3 lakh must be remitted to the Centre to obtain the permit.
In contrast, the revenue would be less than half that sum for a stage-carriage bus.
Last week, one of Gireesh’s buses plying as a private contract carriage under the authorization of an AITP was halted by the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD).
While the officers did not discover any clear violations related to the permit, they opted to revoke the vehicle’s fitness certificate, citing minor infractions
Gireesh has lodged a legal challenge against the MVD’s decision to revoke the fitness certificate of his bus.
