HC directs to form team to check permit papers of vehicles plying through central Kolkata

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court recently directed the Transport department to form a team to conduct a thorough check of vehicles plying through Kolkata Central Business District, Esplanade, Central Bus Terminus and the area approaching Howrah Bridge for valid permits. If the valid permits are found to be missing, the Court has directed the team to detain those vehicles.

A writ petition was filed claiming that several buses in the mentioned area are plying without permit and their operation is wholly illegal. Petitioner furnished the registration number of certain vehicles and the area in which they have been plying. The counsel appearing for the government submitted the show cause notices issued by the State Transport Authority to various permit holders.

“So far as imposition of fine is concerned, it is only a deterrent or a punishment for a singular violation, however, it appears that the violators have not stopped the violation and the violation still continues and mere imposition of fine will not prevent the illegal operation of those vehicles in the routes in which they are not authorised to ply. Furthermore, it is not clear as to what happened after the show cause notice dated 13.03.2023 issued by the State Transport Authority. Thus it appears that the missionary of the Transport Department has not been effected in the matter which has been taken advantage by the persons who ply the buses unauthorisedly in the routes for which they are not authorised to ply,” the Division Bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Supratim Bhattacharya observed.

The Bench further directed that the team should verify whether the said persons had paid a fine earlier and if they did but are still violating, then their permit should be suspended. Thereafter, a show cause notice should be issued proposing cancellation of the permits issued to them. “Unless strict action is taken by the Transport Department, this illegality cannot be prevented,” it was observed.

The Bench further directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police-I of the Traffic department to provide adequate police assistance to the officers of the Transport Authority to carry out the checks, which needs to commence from January 22.