The passenger transport segment employs approximately 1.5 lakh people directly and about 4.5 lakh indirectly in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region with over 15 lakh dependents
The citys bus owners have threatened to surrender their vehicles to the RTO
Mumbai-s bus operators are angry. On Monday, the Mumbai Bus Malak Sangathan MBMS staged a protest against the government for ignoring their demands saying that the entire transport industry in the country was facing losses to the tune of Rs 550 crores. The main demand is waiving off motor vehicle tax for one year as declared by neighbouring states.
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If the demands are not met in the next few days, they have threatened to surrender their vehicles to the RTO. The protest was held keeping all social distancing norms and COVID-19 protection measures in place at Borivli.
The passenger transport segment employs approximately 1.5 lakh people directly and about 4.5 lakh indirectly in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region with over 15 lakh dependents.
"Reduced movement owing to the lockdown has brought businesses of many transport operators to almost a halt. In such a situation if the Motor Vehicle taxes continue to be levied, it will further add to their woes and have a broader economic impact in the sector," Harsh Kotak, secretary of the Sanghatna said.
"We have put up the demands, but the government has not responded. This protest was against the demands put forth by the association to the government to help the passenger transport industry survive the situation that has risen due to Pandemic Covid 19," president Deepak Naik said.
"Those who have already paid the tax should be given compensatory extension of the period. The other demands include increase insurance validity period, waiver of interest on loan and complete waiver of GST on passenger transport segment for one year," Kotak said.
"The situation of the industry is bad and our employees need to be covered under insurance for Rs 50 lakh with a financial assistance of Rs 50,000 to every permit holder," he added. Fees like parking, toll, e-chalan levies are also eating into whatever money is there and they should also be waived off.
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