Punjab bus owners seek lower tax zone

A high special road tax (SRT) has forced private bus operators in Punjab to move out of the state for registration and to seek an all India permit.

As a result, a majority of private bus operators are getting their vehicles registered and are seeking all India permit from Delhi, where the fees are comparatively cheaper than Punjab.

Talking to Business Standard, Sai Travels Managing Director Sudhir Suri said, "For a 35-seater deluxe bus, the registration fee (including the all-India permit) in Delhi is Rs 8,000 for a year while in Punjab, for one month only, it is about Rs 22,730, which includes Rs 20, 834 as special road tax and Rs 1,896 as Road tax. When we talk about a year, it worked out to about Rs 272,760. The hefty charge has compelled 90 per cent of the tour operators in Punjab to have Delhi registration number rather than preferring Punjab number.

He further alleged this is not the end of the problem. The imposition of Rs. 1,600 per day for a 35 seater deluxe bus towards entry fee for the buses having registration number other than Punjab, has further aggravated the problem.

"So, if we have Delhi registration number and if we are entering in Punjab, we have to pay Rs. 1,600 towards entry fee," Suri said.

Another tour operator said, "The high entry fee is not only proving havoc for the private bus operators, bearing other states registration number, it has led to manifold increase in corruption with most of the buses plying illegally and is also causing a loss to the government revenue."

"Finding the fee exorbitant, most of the time operators evade this tax and ply illegally. Due to high entry fee, majority of them are forced to do so. Look at Jammu and Kashmir, the entry fee is Rs. 600 per day, which is not exorbitant when compared with Punjab, so nobody minds in paying the charges and ply safe. We want that the entry fee should be on a par with Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

He further added it will not only lead to increasing the government revenue but also prohibit corruption. Commenting upon the above situation, one of senior official said the charges here (registration and entry fee) are higher because Punjab has larger area than Delhi.

He also said that in future the government will tighten the noose in order to check evaders.