Thiruvananthapuram: The government has decided to impose a ban on bringing old buses from other states into Kerala and operating them here. From now on, permits will be issued only to buses that comply with the latest emission standards — Bharat Stage 6 (BS6).

The move comes in the wake of a growing trend of buses previously used in other states being modified and re-registered in Kerala. Many buses that were phased out in states like Rajasthan and Punjab due to age are being refurbished and reintroduced on Kerala roads after obtaining route permits.

In Rajasthan, the maximum permissible lifespan for buses is seven years, and in Kerala, it is 22 years. Most of these imported buses adhere only to the older BS3 emission standards. Although new permits are granted only for buses meeting BS6 norms, re-registration of old buses has undermined the policy.

In some cases, the chassis of long buses from Rajasthan were cut and modified to suit local needs — an illegal practice. While body repairs are allowed, altering the chassis is prohibited as it can affect the vehicle’s weight balance and safety.

Investigations by the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) have found that certain groups operating in northern districts were involved in illegally modifying and registering such buses. The probe also revealed that some MVD officials had colluded with these groups to facilitate registration and permits.