Bus operators want govt to withdraw tax hikes in 15 days

Tax on pvt stage carriage vehicles has been hiked to Rs 900 per seat

The private bus operators have set a 15-day deadline to the state government for the roll back of hike in taxes effected in this year’s budget. They have threatened to suspend their services if their demand was not fulfilled.

Addressing a press meet here on Wednesday, K Rajavarma Ballal, President, Karnataka State Bus Owners’ Federation said that the state government should provide a level-playing field for private buses as the tax had not been hiked for the state-run buses. The tax on private stage carriage vehicles has been increased from Rs 600 to Rs 900 per seat with effect from April 1.

Ballal said that the steep hike in the tax would have an adverse impact on the survival of private operators.

He said that they were also exploring the possibility of approaching the court challenging the hike. Despite the increase in tax, the private bus operators have not hiked their fare, he said.

Vice-president of the Federation K V Jayaprakash said that around 15,000 private buses ply in the state, a majority of them in Mangaluru, Udupi, Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga, Kodagu and other districts.

General secretary of the Federation S Sadananda Chatra said that a delegation of private bus operators would meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with a request to roll back the steep hike in tax.