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New Delhi: Haven’t you noticed the many long-route luxury buses with AR and NL registration numbers? Private bus operators often register them in smaller states like Arunachal Pradesh (AR) and Nagaland (NL) under the All India Tourist Permit (AITP) scheme, where taxes are lower.To curb this practice, gov plans to make it mandatory for all AITP buses to make at least one trip every 45 days to the state where they are registered.In a draft notification introducing major reforms to AITP Rules, the road transport ministry has proposed stricter registration norms and a requirement for operators to clear pending highway tolls within 30 days for permit renewal.State transport authorities must verify operators’ documents to ensure such operators have a residence or place of business in the state where the tourist vehicle is registered,” according to the draft.The proposal also specifies that each tourist vehicle must either begin or end its journey in its home state and cannot remain outside for more than 45 days. All such vehicles must have active Vehicle Location Tracking devices, with movements monitored by respective states. “This is essential to ensure they visit their home state as per norms,” an official said.The scale of the issue is evident. In Arunachal Pradesh, nearly 5,100 of its 10,200 registered buses have AITP. Nagaland counts about 3,100 AITP buses among its total 6,700.Industry insiders say high concentration of AITP buses in these smaller states highlights the loophole. “Such operators create unfair competition for those registering in bigger states where taxes are higher. They strain infrastructure in states where they operate without contributing proportionate taxes,” said one.
