CHENNAI: The Omni Bus Owners Associations of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Puducherry on Sunday announced the suspension of all inter-state services from 5 pm on Monday.
Over 4,000 omni buses are expected to remain off the roads, disrupting inter-state travel for the general public, tourists, and pilgrims, especially amid the ongoing Sabarimala season.
The decision was made jointly by eight omni bus associations representing operators across the five southern states and the Union Territory of Puducherry, a day after Karnataka transport authorities imposed road taxes amounting to Rs 1.15 crore on Tamil Nadu-registered omni buses and several lakh rupees on those registered in Kerala. Each out-of-state omni bus has been fined Rs 2.2 lakh towards road tax and related charges by the Karnataka government.
A Anbalagan, president of the All Omni Bus Owners Association (AOBOA) which issued the statement on behalf of the associations in Chennai, said, “The Tamil Nadu government collects Rs 1.5 lakh in quarterly road tax for each bus. In addition, we pay Rs 90,000 for the All India Tourist Permit.”
No dedicated permit system for omni buses’
“If states like Kerala or Karnataka also demand an additional `2 lakh as road tax, the total cost comes to around `4.5 lakh per quarter per bus, making the business unsustainable,” Anbalagan said.
He added that there is currently no dedicated permit system for omni buses.
“At present, omni buses operate using tourist permits and pay the applicable road taxes. The union government should amend the Central Act to introduce a dedicated permit category for omni buses,” he said.
Anbalagan further claimed that last month, two omni buses — operating on the Chennai–Tenkasi and Chennai–Bengaluru routes — caught fire during travel, though commuters were safely evacuated. “Following these incidents, the state governments began imposing heavy taxes on omni buses,” he claimed.
In a joint statement, the Luxury Bus Owners Association, Karnataka Omni Bus Owners Association, AP & TS Bus Operators Association, All Omni Bus Owners Association (AOBOA), All Omni Bus Owners & Operators Association, Coimbatore Omni Bus Owners and Travels Association (COBOTA), Salem Omni Bus Owners Association, and Pondicherry Bus Operators Association announced the suspension of inter-state services.
The associations said that the steep road taxes levied by various states had made operations financially unviable and urged the union government to intervene and amend the Central Motor Vehicles Act to clearly define provisions for All India Permit vehicles.
The AOBOA had already halted services from Tamil Nadu to Kerala a few days ago after the state levied `70 lakh in road tax penalties on omni buses.