Omni bus owners allege illegal tax collection in Tamil Nadu
COIMBATORE: The All Omni Bus Owners and Operators Association alleged on Sunday that transport officers in the state are illegally collecting money from omni bus owners from both Tamil Nadu and other states under the guise of a special tax, despite them already paying the legally mandated road tax.
The association’s founder, A Pandiyan, stated that a bus with an all-India permit pays a road tax of Rs 90,000 to the central government every three months. Additionally, they pay road tax to their respective state governments based on the number of seats. He said that, according to law, no other taxes are required. Operators are also subjected to long checks at toll gates, causing delays in passenger drop-offs and affecting their business, he said.
“However, officers from the state transport department are collecting money from omni bus owners who are operating inter-state, from other states to Tamil Nadu and vice versa. They are doing so in the name of a special tax. They collect anywhere from `20,000 to `1 lakh, especially on holidays and during festival times,” Pandiyan alleged.
Urging Transport Minister SS Sivasankar to intervene and put an end to this illegal practice, the association warned of a larger protest at the state transport department office in Chennai if the issue persists.
When contacted, transport and road safety commissioner R Gajalakshmi told TNIE that she would look into this matter.