• Source:JND
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Kerala’s Luxury Bus Owners Association announced on Sunday that buses from Kerala will suspend all interstate bus services to Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The rules will be applicable from 6 PM on Monday. 

According to AJ Rijas, the state president of the association, the rationale for the decision stems from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka charging large sums of money from buses in the name of state taxes. Additionally, both these state governments have confiscated All India Tourist Permit (AITP) buses issued to the bus operators of Kerala.

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General Secretary of the association, Maneesh Sasidharan, said that despite having valid AITPs issued under the Central Government’s Motor Vehicles Act, all tourist buses from Kerala are being stopped, fined, and detained in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. 

“For the past year, Tamil Nadu has been levying substantial taxes on vehicles registered in Kerala. This has caused inconvenience not only to bus drivers but also to passengers. The Kerala government has been taking a very lenient approach to resolve the issue. However, due to financial losses and fear of having their buses seized, many people are reluctant to cross the border into Kerala,” the association said, quoted Jagran.com. 

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As a result of these exorbitant fines, tourist bus services in Kerala are afraid to operate interstate services, fearing massive financial losses and vehicle seizure. The association clarified that this service suspension is not a voluntary protest, but a compelled action taken for the safety of vehicles, drivers, and passengers.

It also requested the Kerala Transport Minister and Transport Commissioner to intervene in the matter immediately. In this regard, it has written a letter to Kerala Transport Minister KB Ganesh Kumar to address the issue. “With timely intervention from the Kerala government and the central authorities, the issue can be resolved amicably and normal interstate tourist operations can resume soon,” the association further said.

(With inputs from PTI)

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