Kottayam: The decision of the Transport Department not to renew the temporary permits of private buses on routes longer than 140 km in the state will come into effect on March 1. There is a lot of pressure on the transport department to withdraw the decision which may be good for KSRTC and a setback for passengers and private bus owners. In 2014, the government took the decision not to allow private buses to run services above 140 km on the instructions of the High Court. The Kerala Motor Vehicle Rules do not permit issuance of permits to private buses above 140 km in the state.
Later, in view of the delay in issuing the final notification for route nationalization in October 2022 and the traffic inconvenience, temporary permits were granted for four months to private buses on routes of more than 140 km. It will expire on February 28, 2023.
The decision of the transport department is not to grant temporary permit as renewing the permit would be illegal and contempt of court. The action will affect around 200 buses in the state. Most of these operate from Madhya Kerala to the migrant areas of Malabar. In Madhya Kerala, an attempt is being made to withdraw the decision of the transport department under the leadership of a former bishop who is very close to the government.
The main reason for the bishop’s intervention is that this decision will cause great hardship to the hilly areas of Idukki and Ernakulam. They also demand that the law be amended for this purpose. The bus owners also point out that not renewing the permits at the time when the examination has started will create travel problems for the students. If the bus service is limited to 140 km in Idukki, which is mostly forest, the bus owners will have to stop the services in any inner forests. The Kothamangalam Bus Owners Association has requested the Chief Minister to give special treatment and renew the permits in Idukki district.
News Summary – No long-distance private buses from March 1