TN omni bus strike ends after 21 days; services to resume from tonight
Operators called off the strike after the Transport Department assured them a resolution to reciprocal taxation issues with Karnataka and Kerala
Private omni bus services from Tamil Nadu to other states will resume normal operations from Friday evening (November 28) following successful talks between operators and the State Transport Department.
The announcement was made by Tamil Nadu Omni Bus Owners’ Association general secretary A Maran after a crucial meeting with Transport Commissioner E Saravanavelraj at the commissioner’s office in Guindy on Friday afternoon.
The indefinite strike began on November 7 after Karnataka and Kerala intensified tax enforcement and started impounding Tamil Nadu-registered omni buses for alleged non-payment of entry tax ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 6 lakh per trip.
Tit-for-tat taxation
The action was in retaliation to Tamil Nadu’s own drive, launched earlier this year, to collect similar taxes from out-of-state omni buses. The tit-for-tat taxation brought inter-state private bus travel among the three southern states to a virtual standstill, severely affecting daily-wage workers, students, medical travellers, and the tourism sector ahead of the holiday season.
Speaking to reporters, Maran said an “almost final positive decision” had been reached, assuring operators that the issue of reciprocal taxation imposed by neighbouring states would be resolved soon.
Also Read: Why bus services from Tamil Nadu to Kerala are stopped
“For the past 21 days, inter-state omni buses remained completely off the roads. Tamil Nadu-registered omni buses numbering around 1.7 lakh pay Rs 90,000 annually as All-India permit tax, which is shared among all states. Yet Tamil Nadu became the first state to start collecting additional tax from omni buses entering from other states. Within the last two months, Karnataka and Kerala followed suit, impounding buses and demanding up to Rs 6 lakh per vehicle,” Maran said.
Rs 21 crore loss
Unable to bear the financial burden, operators suspended services, resulting in 1,360 buses staying off the roads and causing an estimated loss of Rs 21 crore.
Also Read: KSRTC bus strike in Karnataka despite court stay leaves thousands stranded
“We made it clear that if Tamil Nadu stops taxing incoming omni buses from other states, Karnataka and Kerala will also stop taxing our buses. The government has understood our position and given us positive assurances today,” he added.
Services to resume immediately
Maran said no deadline has been imposed by the government, and services will resume immediately. Association representatives have already approached the Transport Ministers of Karnataka and Kerala, urging them to withdraw the taxes.
Also Read: Private bus owners’ body in Odisha to go on ‘indefinite’ strike from Friday
With the strike being called off, thousands of passengers who were stranded or forced to pay higher fares on trains and flights can now travel by omni bus as usual from Friday night.