BHUBANESWAR: In order to speed up the issuance of special permits for inter-State operations of stage and contract carriages in Odisha, the State Transport Authority (STA) on Thursday delegated its power to the Regional Transport Offices (RTOs).
At present, special permits to stage and contract carriages are being issued by the STA under Section 88(8) of the Motor Vehicles Act. “It is noticed that bus owners and their representatives are rushing to STA daily to get special permit for inter-State operation. In view of the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic situation, it has become necessary to reduce the gathering at STA office,” said the order issued by Transport Commissioner-cum-Chairman of STA Sanjeeb Panda. This apart, steps have been taken to provide special permit online via Parivahan Sewa portal.
“Considering the volume of rush to get special permit for inter-State operation and taking into account the situation arising out of the pandemic, application for the document can now be filed at the RTO counters,” said Panda.
RTOs will issue the special permit on the same day as far as possible and the order will remain in place till the applicants are not able to get the document online. “Application for the special permit will not be received or processed at STA,” said Panda.
Earlier, the STA had directed the RTOs to conduct a special enforcement drive from September 2 to 7 against other states’ stage/contract and goods carriages plying though Odisha without permit and payment of tax.