Road tax defaulters causing losses to state exchequer: Punjab transport minister Warring

Crackdown on transport mafia will continue and strict action will be initiated against private bus operators delaying tax payments, says Punjab transport minister Amrinder Singh Raja Warring

Punjab transport minister Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Friday said road tax defaulters, mainly private bus operators, were causing financial losses to state exchequer and the crackdown against them will continue.

Punjab transport minister Amrinder Singh Raja Warring interacts with passengers during an inspection at the Patiala bus terminal on Friday.

Warring, who conducted an early morning surprise checking at the Patiala inter-state bus terminal (ISBT) to oversee facilities for commuters, said, “By checking the tax evading operators and impounding buses running without permits, the department has seen an increase in daily revenue of the PEPSU Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) from ₹1.70 crore to ₹1.87 crore.”

The minister said to keep a check on the transport mafia, the department has empowered regional transport authorities (RTAs) and general managers to inspect buses plying illegally within a perimeter of 500 meters of the bus stand concerned.

The private bus operators affected by Covid were given tax exemption of ₹100 crore but if the operators still delay paying taxes, strict action will be initiated against them , he added.

The minister also felicitated PRTC conductor Milkha Singh with a special cash reward of ₹5,100 for performing his duty honestly and diligently.