Punjab pvt bus operators seek motor vehicle tax waiver in view of rising cost

    Chandigarh, May 27 (PTI) Private bus operators in Punjab on Wednesday urged the state government to waive the motor vehicle tax, citing rising operational costs amid a surge in fuel prices.
     Addressing the media here, Punjab Motor Union president Sandeep Sharma said fuel prices have gone up by Rs 7.50 per litre in the past few days, leading to a sharp jump in their operational costs.
     "We feel that fuel prices will surge again in the future," he said.
     Motor vehicle tax is a mandatory recurring payment, calculated based on vehicle type, fuel and price. Different tax slabs apply to two-wheelers, four-wheelers, and commercial vehicles.
     Sharma said a total of 7,500 private buses, including 5,000 mini buses, operate in the state.
     He urged the Bhagwant Mann-led government to waive Rs 87 crore as motor vehicle tax, which the bus operators pay annually.
     Sharma said the private bus sector has been reeling under severe financial stress due to the continuous spike in prices of diesel, tyres, lubricants, spare parts, insurance premiums, and toll taxes.
     “The input cost has risen by over 35-40 per cent since 2022, while fares have not been revised proportionately," Sharma claimed.
     He said the operators were not in a position to pay the motor vehicle tax, adding that if corrective steps are not taken immediately, "we will not be in a position to operate buses.”
     The bus operators have also sought a personal hearing from the chief minister to urge him to take urgent remedial measures to save the “lifeline of Punjab's transport”.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)