TN proposes steep fee hike for transport vehicle permits

CHENNAI: Continuing to increase its own revenue sources by hiking taxes and fees, the State government has proposed to hike the fee for several transport department services like grant of permits and renewal of permits by up to four times.

The Home Department has issued a draft amendment to the Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles Rules 1989, for enhancing fees for services like grant of permits, renewal of permits, for transfer of permits and belated applications for renewal of permits.

As per the draft notification, the grant of a permit for stage carriage is to be increased to Rs 3,000 from Rs 1,500, while a goods carriage permit would cost Rs 3,000 as against the earlier Rs 1,200. The permit for contract carriage omni bus has gone up to Rs 5,000 from Rs 1,500. An autorickshaw and cab have to spend Rs 400 and Rs 1,100 from Rs 300 and Rs 525 respectively.

The government’s total revenue through green tax, vehicle registration, motor vehicle tax and fee stood at Rs 5,271.9 crore during 2021-22. So far the government has not revised the motor vehicle tax, Learners Licence Registration (LLR) fee, driving licence fee, and a few other fees and taxes which constitute major revenue sources of the department.

All Omni Bus Owners’ Association general secretary A Anbazhagan said that the steep hike in fees and taxes has come at a time when the omnibus sector is going through a setback. “We have not recovered yet from the losses suffered during COVID-19. Of the 4,000 omnibuses operated in the state before COVID-19, only 1,200-1,500 buses are currently running. Revising the fees at this time is not right,” he said, adding, that they had in the past suggested to the government to revise the fees to put an end to corruption in the transport sector. “Now corruption is rampant. We are not in a position to pay the increased fees,” he said.

Tamil Nadu Auto Thozhilalar Sammelanam working president S Balasubramanian said hiking the fees would completely affect the livelihood of drivers. “A driver has to spend Rs 1,500 for renewal of permit earlier. Now, it would go up to Rs 5,000,” he said, adding, the government has increased spot fines and fees when the drivers are impacted by free rides offered to women in the city buses and metro train operations.