Legal hurdles prevent RTA from issuing fresh permits

Legal hurdles prevent RTA from issuing fresh permits

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Mar 10: The Regional Transport Authority (RTA) declined to grant fresh permits and consider 644 applications owing to legal hurdles during a meeting held after a period of 12 months. 





Deputy Commissioner V Ponnuraj, who is also the chairman of the RTA, explained the matter to reporters at the press meet held at DC Chamber on March 10, Wednesday and said that the RTA can issue fresh permits only if the operators modify their applications, excluding entry into the notified areas of the district magistrate. The DM’s notification of 1992 prevents buses from entering Hampankatta. The modified applications must be re-filed in 15 days. A period of 15 days will be set aside for receiving objections, which will be decided case to case considering various High Court and Division Bench orders, informed the DC. 


Expressing his concern over a High Court order of Tuesday, which reprimanded RTA for listing applications that fell within the notification area of the DM, the DC said that private bus operators enjoyed better deals in judgments owing to lack of public representation despite the fact that bus services are meant for the public. The DC urged the public to ensure that there is public representation when the case is being decided. The DC also said that the government will be requested to take up the case and place the actual facts before the court with regard to its order. 

V Ponnuraj also said that the process of granting permits in unnecessarily delayed owing to private bus operators’ habit of filing applications for several permits. Issuing timings and routes for 644 applications is a Herculean task, he remarked.