Vehicle owners want entry tax reduced

The Karnataka Tourist Motor Cab and Maxicab Owners’ Welfare Association, at a convention here on Monday, submitted a charter of demands to Tourism Minister R V Deshpande, for discussing with the chief minister and the Transport minister.

Bhairava Siddaramaiah, president of the association, said that the procedure of getting licences and getting them renewed should be simplified.  They demanded that the one-time tax which drivers have to pay while moving from one State to another be reduced.

Citing an example, he said that a maxi-cab going to Tirupati for a week has to pay Rs 2,700, a 50-seater has to pay Rs 18,000, tempo Rs 32,000 and a 30-seater has to pay Rs 13,500. 

The State government, from November 1, 2013, started collecting Rs 22,000 to Rs 28,000 as one-time tax for any vehicle coming to Karnataka. This is affecting tourism to a large extent and the government should look into it.

“We have also requested the government to allow us to levy a minimum charge for 300 km per day rate, instead of the present 250 km. People now pay Rs 2,000 for a whole day taxi.

They will, in future, have to pay Rs 2,400. This is necessary as the diesel rates have increased,” he said. Deshpande said that the demands would be discussed with the chief minister and Tourism minister.