Kerala luxury bus owners suspend interstate services to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka

Kochi: The Luxury Bus Owners Association on Sunday announced the suspension of all interstate services from Kerala to Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, effective from 6 pm on Monday.

In a statement, the Kerala State Committee of the association said the decision was prompted by heavy fines, unlawful state-level taxes, and the seizure of All India Tourist Permit (AITP) buses by authorities in neighbouring states.

Association president AJ Rijas said that operators were being targeted despite holding valid AITPs issued under the Central Government’s Motor Vehicles Act.

“Tourist vehicles from Kerala are being stopped, fined, and detained in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, even though they operate within the legal framework,” said general secretary Maneesh Sasidharan.

The association alleged that Tamil Nadu authorities have been arbitrarily collecting taxes from Kerala-registered vehicles for over a year, causing repeated harassment to operators and passengers. It added that the Kerala government had refrained from taking retaliatory measures, hoping for a cooperative resolution.

Many operators are now hesitant to run interstate services due to the threat of financial loss and vehicle seizure, the statement noted.

The association clarified that the suspension is not a voluntary protest but a “compelled action” to ensure the safety of vehicles, drivers, and passengers.

It has urged Kerala Transport Minister KB Ganesh Kumar and the Transport Commissioner to intervene with their counterparts in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, as well as the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, to end what it described as “unlawful practices” and ensure uniform enforcement of the AITP framework across southern states.

“With timely intervention from the Kerala government and the central authorities, the issue can be resolved amicably and normal interstate tourist operations can resume soon,” the statement said.

PTI inputs