Kerala’s Luxury Bus Owners’ Association has decided to suspend interstate bus services to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka from 6 pm on Monday, November 10, in protest against the heavy fines, alleged unlawful state-level taxes, and vehicle seizures imposed by the neighbouring states on buses with All India Tourist Permits (AITP).
The Association’s state president AJ Rijas and general secretary Maneesh Sasidharan stated that the decision was forced upon the operators.
“For over a year, Tamil Nadu authorities have been collecting tax arbitrarily from Kerala-registered vehicles, causing repeated harassment to operators and passengers. During this period, the Kerala government had taken a very sympathetic and supportive approach, refraining from retaliatory measures in the hope of a cooperative resolution,” the Association said.
They said that despite holding valid AITPs issued under the Union government’s Motor Vehicles Act, tourist vehicles from Kerala are being stopped, fined, and detained in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. “These actions are in clear violation of the AITP Rules, which explicitly exempt such vehicles from any additional state taxes once the prescribed national permit fee is paid,” the Association said.
The Association said that this service suspension is not a voluntary protest but a compelled action taken for the safety of vehicles, drivers, and passengers.
They have requested the Kerala Transport Minister and Transport Commissioner to intervene immediately in the issue.
“With timely intervention from the Kerala government and central authorities, the issue can be resolved amicably and normal services can resume soon,” they said.