Buses plying illegally, evading tax on Himachal barriers

DHARAMSHALA: Hundreds of super luxury buses are plying illegally from hill destinations of Himachal to Delhi. The number has increased in past few years. To nab these transporters, government has implied entry tax of Rs 5,000 to such buses but sources said that they are managing to escape this too.
Online portals of government show that tax has been paid on alternate days while buses are running in routine.They are paying tax on alternate days to befool the authorities.
Official sources told that buses are running on contract carriage permits but they are violating norms by running as routine transport from hill destinations.
In Dharamshala, this is an open fact that bus tickets are available at various counters in and around the town selling tickets on flexi fares from 1000 and above, depending on the season and rush of the tourists.
Private operators have fixed pick up points which are known to everyone. In Dharamshala, the main pick up point is a famous mall and at other places en-route to Delhi they pick passengers from bypass roads. They also take shortcut routes to avoid check posts.
Road Transport Officer Vishal Sharma, when contacted, said that they have a provision to fine tax evaders by penalizing them five times by doubling penalties and they keep it doing from time to time.
When asked about the number of penalties imposed by the department this month. The official said that he is not able to provide the data and will make it available in a day or two.
“I would tell the number of penalties imposed by the department in day or two” he said.
The movement of buses in this way is adding to the losses of the Himachal road transport corporation. Moreover, the transporters who are running their vehicles with due permits are also getting dejected of these unethical practices by few bus operators.
It was learnt that around 20 buses, most of them loaded with super luxury facilities, are plying in routine from Dharamshala to Delhi. During the previous government regime, GS Bali the then transport minister had raided such buses at midnight. Buses stopped for sometime but the practice was resumed again.