Mysore/Mysuru: District Secretary of Karnataka Taxi Driver Association Kaushik has alleged that, several of contract carriage buses are being registered outside the State, thus cheating the State Government.

He was addressing media persons at Patrakarthara Bhavan in the city yesterday.

Kaushik said, over 50 buses are being operated in the district from the last six months and the transport operators are getting their vehicles registered in other States, due to the steep hike in tax and registration fee to obtain the permit in the State. To get the bus registered, the operators have to pay Rs. 1.83 lakh for a period of three months in the State, while in other States, the fee of Rs. 90,000 is being charged. Hence the Government should initiate action against such transport operators and also take steps to slash registration fee and tax, to increase the source of its revenue, he demanded.

Kaushik also urged the authorities concerned, to grant permission to get Geographical Positioning System (GPS) and Panic Button installed in public transport vehicles in any place of their convenience, instead of availing the service from a company identified by the Government to provide the service. The Government identified vendor charges about Rs. 15,000 to fit GPS device and Panic Button, while it is available in the range of Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 4,000 in other places, he said.

Office-bearers of Karnataka Taxi Driver Association Manju and Swamy were present.