The Luxury Bus Owners Association, Kerala State Committee, announced on Sunday that they will be suspending all interstate tourist bus services from Kerala to Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The suspension is set to take effect from 6 PM on Monday.
The association clarified that this is not a voluntary protest but a “compelled action” taken to ensure the safety of vehicles, drivers, and passengers, citing widespread harassment and financial risk in the neighboring states.
The Core Dispute: All India Tourist Permit (AITP)
Association State President AJ Rijas stated that the decision was taken because neighboring states have begun:
- Levying heavy fines.
- Imposing unlawful state-level taxes.
- Seizing All India Tourist Permit (AITP) buses belonging to Kerala operators.
General Secretary Maneesh Sasidharan emphasized that the actions directly violate the Central Government’s Motor Vehicles Act and the AITP framework. These permits are designed to allow seamless movement of tourist vehicles across multiple states, typically exempting them from additional state taxes once the prescribed national permit fee is paid.
“Despite having valid AITPs issued under the Central Government’s Motor Vehicles Act, tourist vehicles from Kerala are being stopped, fined, and detained in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka,” Sasidharan said.
Allegations of Repeated Harassment
The association alleged that this issue has been ongoing for over a year, with Tamil Nadu authorities specifically collecting tax arbitrarily from Kerala-registered vehicles, causing repeated harassment.
During this period, the association noted that the Kerala government had adopted a “very sympathetic and supportive approach,” refraining from retaliatory measures in the hope of a cooperative resolution. However, the continuation of “high-handed enforcement,” including the seizure of vehicles and imposition of exorbitant penalties, has made the situation untenable for Kerala operators, who now fear financial loss.
Call for Government Intervention
The Luxury Bus Owners Association has formally requested that the Kerala Transport Minister, KB Ganesh Kumar, and the Transport Commissioner immediately intervene in the matter.
They have appealed to the state authorities to contact the governments of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, as well as the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, to halt these unlawful practices and ensure the uniform implementation of the AITP framework across all southern states.
The association expressed optimism, adding that “With timely intervention from the Kerala government and the central authorities, the issue can be resolved amicably and normal interstate tourist operations can resume soon.”