Private taxi operators in Ludhiana oppose Union govt’s proposal to raise tax, permit fee

Opposing the proposal of the Union government to raise the tax and permit fee under the All-India Tourist Permit, taxi operators in Ludhiana have now submitted their objections to the Punjab government. The Union government, while releasing the proposal draft, had sought suggestions and objections from state governments within 30 days.

According to the new draft, one to four seater vehicles will have to pay ₹20,000 tax, along with ₹6,000 permit fee per year, while vehicles with five to nine seats will have to pay ₹30,000 tax and ₹9,000 permit fee per year. Along with this, 10 to 22 seater vehicles will have to pay ₹80,000 tax and ₹24,000 permit fee per year. Vehicles with over 23 seats will have to pay ₹ 3,00,000 tax, along with ₹1,00,000 permit fee per year. There are almost 23,000 All India Permit taxis in Punjab.

Azad Taxi Union Punjab president Sharanjit Singh Kalsi said, “The road transport and highways ministry of India had issued a draft notification GSR 815E on November 11, proposing to create four slabs with very high taxes. The ministry has categorised seats wrongly and proposed high permit fee and taxes, for which we have submitted our objections to the government via email.”

Kalsi said, “We have suggested that the permit fees should be collected according to seats. While the fee for one to nine seater vehicle fee is ₹25,000, vehicles with more than ten and less than 23 seats have to pay ₹75,000. This is illogical as tempo traveller with 12 seats have to pay a heavy amount.”

Adding further, Kalsi said, “ We have sent as many as 14 objections in an email to the ministry of road transport and highways, union transport minister Nitin Gadkari, Punjab transport authorities, including the state transport commissioner.”

Kalsi said, “We have also requested time for a meeting with state transport authorities so that we can explain our objections properly.”