Tourist vehicle operators may now apply for an all-India tourist authorisation/permit online, as per a new scheme announced by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
The permits will be issued within 30 days under the scheme which will come into force from April 1. The permits will be granted for three months or multiples thereof, up to three years.
All existing permits shall continue to be in force during their validity, said a statement from the ministry.
“The new rules for permits are expected to go a long way in promoting tourism across the states in our country, while simultaneously, growing the revenue of state governments," said the statement.
“The step was discussed in the 39th and 40th transport development council meetings and was appreciated and concurred to by participants from the states. The rules come even as the ministry is in the pursuit of providing seamless movement to tourist passenger vehicles, after the success of goods carriage vehicles under the National Permit Regime," according to the statement.
“Moreover, the scheme allows flexibility in the form of authorisation/permit being granted, for three months or its multiples thereof, not exceeding three years at a time. This provision has been incorporated keeping in mind those areas of our country where there is a limited season of tourism and also for those operators who have limited financial capacity," the statement added.