All-India tourist permit for buses to start from April 1

The all-India tourist permit for buses will kick in from April 1. Under this scheme, all tourist buses will have to pay a one-time permit fee for seamless travel across states.

This will likely reduce fares of tourist buses, said an official in the Union Road Transport Ministry.

Currently, operators are required to obtain an authorisation certificate to operate tourist buses and they need to pay separate permit charges for plying in different states.