CHENNAI: The Madras High court has ordered the release of 450 buses belonging to various transport corporations in the State, which had been attached by Motor Accident Claims Tribunals on the basis of execution petitions filed by claimants for non-payment of compensation, subject to certain conditions with regard to payment of compensation.
This will help the transport undertakings operate the buses, lying idle at the respective courts and thereby earn revenue, Justice N Kirubakaran, who ordered the immediate release of the buses, said on October 18.
The judge passed the order on a batch of civil miscellaneous appeals from transport corporations. By keeping the buses in custody of the tribunals, the claimants are not able to get the compensation money and transport corporations are also put to loss because of the attachment of the vehicles. Consequently, the travelling public are put to untold hardships because of non-plying of the buses, the judge said.
It was also stated in the affidavits filed by the transport corporations that Deepavali is fast approaching and there is a need to operate more buses.The court, by an earlier order dated April 28 last year, had directed the release of the attached buses forthwith, subject to the condition that the respective transport corporation deposits 25 per cent of the respective compensation amount in favour of the execution petitions in the tribunal within a period of four weeks.
“Therefore, this court directs the respective tribunal to release forthwith the attached vehicles, whose details have been mentioned in the affidavits, on condition that the transport corporations shall deposit 25 per cent of the respective compensation amount along with interest and costs to the credit of the respective claim petition before the respondent tribunal on or before November 2,” the judge said.
The balance amount of 75 per cent should be deposited before the respective tribunal in the ratio i.e., 25 per cent on or before January 9, 2017, another 25 per cent by February 20 and the last instalment of 25 per cent by April 3, the judge said.