THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Pathanamthitta enforcement squad has caught a bus owned by Anupama Tours and Travels which was operating illegal luxury service between Munnar and Thiruvananthapuram. The bus commences its service from the Capital at 10.00 pm and reaches Munnar at 5.30 am. The KSRTC operates on the same route on a daily basis at 10.30 pm.
“As their service is scheduled half an hour before the corporation’s bus timing it was a loss to the KSRTC service,” said a Corporation officer. On a complaint from the Munnar unit officer the KSRTC South zone Executive Director had written to the Transport Commissioner to take immediate action against such illegal services.
Transport secretary K R Jyothilal has written to the Transport Commissioner seeking clarification on the strict enforcement of the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) drive against the contract carriage vehicles that operate illegal service as stage carriage. Such a letter was issued on the basis of various concerns being raised by certain sections of society with regard to the LAPT licensing. “Contract carriage cannot be run as a stage carriage at any time. The booking has to be from point to point and no commuters can be picked up from any in-between stops,” read the letter.