Kochi: The private luxury bus operators continue to operate inter-state services breaching existing laws, but the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) has failed to act time and again.
While the operators have taken contract carriage permits and carry passengers from one point to another and back for a fixed sum, the buses are plying as stage-carriers, taking in passengers from multiple destinations midway on per ticket basis.
"The operation of services by the private luxury operators amounts to violation of law and they can be booked for the offense as per Motor Vehicle Act 192 (A)," read a reply from the Transport Commissionerate to an RTI query by Jackson Varghese, Kerala Online Drivers' Union president.
The operators are also paying less tax, Rs 45, 000 to Rs 50, 000 per bus for a quarter, by availing contract carriage permits, but taking passengers en-route.
"We take a lenient approach to the violation as there is a huge dearth of long-haul services as the ones operated by Kerala State Road Transport Corporation are grossly inadequate when compared to the huge demand. However, we keep a strict vigil against such services being used to carry parcels. For this, inspections are held at regular intervals at main points and check posts," a senior Motor Vehicle Department official said.
The official, however, said strict action will be taken in the Vytilla bashing case.
"We'll inspect documents of all the buses of the operator and will probe whether goods materials are being transported in them," he added.
