After the row over the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) of Kerala blocking and penalising a private bus service called Robin, the Tamil Nadu MVD has now taken custody of the bus for alleged permit violation. The bus which offers service as a tourist carrier between Pathanamthitta and Coimbatore was intercepted on Sunday, November 19.
The owner of the bus, Baby Gireesh, alleged that someone in the Kerala government was behind the move and that the Tamil Nadu MVD was not clarifying what the violations were.
A day earlier, the Kerala MVD blocked the Robin Bus at five locations due to permit rule violations and the total amount of penalty touched Rs 37,500. The MVD first blocked the bus at Pathanamthitta, a few minutes after it had started its service in the morning. After this, it was stopped at Pala in Kottayam, Angamaly in Ernakulam, Puthukkad in Thrissur, and Alathur in Palakkad and charged with a penalty amount of Rs 7,500 at each stop for rule violations.
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On the same day on November 18, after reaching the Chavadi check post in Tamil Nadu, the bus was again stopped and made to pay further penalties. The Tamil Nadu MVD asked the owner to pay Rs 70,410 including the tax for 40 seats and the fine for non-payment. After paying this amount the owner earned a permit to run the service in Tamil Nadu till November 24.
After the MVD from different districts had blocked the bus, the travellers and members of the public came in support of the owner, alleging that the MVD was purposefully doing this to discourage an entrepreneur. The owner Baby Gireesh also claimed that the state was doing this intentionally because the success of his service would affect the government-run Kerala State Road Transport Corporation.
The video clip of the owner's response went viral and social media users came in support of Baby Gireesh by booking the bus and encouraging others to to do the same.
The MVD says that the Robin bus is operating as a stage carrier, but it is a contract carrier, and it cannot have the permit to pick up and drop passengers from different points of the bus route. But Baby Gireesh says that he has the All India Tourists Permit and he can operate services all across the country.
In India, according to the Motor Vehicle Act 1988, buses are operating either as contract carriers or stage carriers. Contract carriers have no restrictions over charging of tickets and do not need to give concessions. But stage carriers are the private and KSRTC buses which have certain rules.
According to the rules, a bus which has the All India Tourist Permit can run its service all across the country, and it can transport passengers individually or as a group along with their luggage. Anyone can operate such a bus service from any destination at any time after getting an All India Tourist Permit. Robin Bus started its Pathanamthitta-Coimbatore service on August 30, 2023. In September, the MVD of Kerala had suspended its fitness certificate after an inspection. After 45 days, the bus had reclaimed the fitness certificate and started its service on October 16.
The same day, the MVD had seized the bus at Ranni under section 207 of Motor Vehicle Act, which allows the police officers to detain and take action against vehicles found being driven without the necessary permits and registration. Then the owner went to court and the Ranni JudiciaL Magistrate court ordered to return the vehicle to the owner. The Kerala High Court also directed the Kerala MVD not to block the Robin Bus.
Meanwhile, the Kerala State Road Transport Commission (KSRTC) launched a new service on the Pathanamthitta Coimbatore route on November 19.