The comfort of traveling in sleeper-cum-push back buses may fizz out in future as such vehicles have come under the lens of the department of Transport and a crackdown is in offing against those buses for allegedly flouting rules and threatening lives by ignoring guidelines to operate on road.
Some buses that ply carry goods often without permit, which causes revenue loss.
The trend of sleeper-cum-push back coaches has been catching fire fast as it offers a convenient mode of traveling to those who somehow could not travel by train.
Buses of more height face have high probability of turning turtle, while maneuvering on topsy-turvy roads.
“More than revenue, it is a threat to human lives which is the main reason behind the proposed crackdown. Such buses are usually of more height besides other norms which is being overlooked by bus owners. We will conduct regular checking to ascertain violation of rules,” said District Transport Officer of Ranchi, Nagendra Paswan.
A team of officials led by the DTO would be conducting raids against such vehicles to make them comply with the rules of operating and to regulate them so as to avoid risk of accidents.
Meanwhile, the department is also contemplating to shame vehicle tax defaulters and knock their doors to make them pay taxes due on them.
The team that will visit home of defaulters would comprise DTO, Motor Vehicle Inspector, Commercial Tax Officer and District Assistant Mining Officer. According to sources, the list of defaulter features around 200 names of people and transport companies. The office of the DTO would begin crackdown in two phases first phase would focus on collecting taxes from defaulters of Rs1-lakh and above.
“The drive would be carried out intermittently. So far we have conducted two rounds and collected Rs2-lakh as commercial tax. We also slapped fine of Rs13,000 against one bus for flouting rules,” added the DTO.
Sources said the department has been asked by Deputy Commissioner of Ranchi, Manoj Kumar to increase tax collection from defaulters and narrow the gap of revenue collection. Monitoring vehicles for overloading and thus to save loss of revenue has also been asked to ensure, said the source.