The Tamil Nadu Transport Department on Sunday detained a private bus from Kerala, ‘Robin’, for alleged violation of permit while transporting 26 passengers from Pathanamthitta to Coimbatore.
A motor vehicle inspector, A.S. Viswanathan, took the bus into custody and to the premises of the office of the Joint Transport Commissioner. He said that the bus had an all India permit under rule 6(2) (the All India Tourist Permit shall be used for the transport of tourists individually or in a group, along with their personal luggage) of the All India Tourist Vehicles (Permit) Rules, 2023.
However, the bus entered Tamil Nadu as a stage carrier and displayed boarding and dropping points on a board, said the official. This was in violation of Section 66 (necessity for permits) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, the official added. The fine will be fixed by the Joint Transport Commissioner or the Regional Transport Officer after inspecting the bus, probably on Monday, said a source. The bus owner, Baby Gireesh, said that the action came a day after the State Transport Department imposed a fine of ₹70,401 on the first day of the vehicle’s inter-State service on Saturday. He claimed that Tamil Nadu officials seized the bus, following a request from some officials from Kerala.
Meanwhile, passengers demanded that officials arrange an alternative vehicle for them. The police held talks with them following requests from the officials.
