#TIL: Tourist Permits for cabs are issued under two different regimes

By Yeshwanth Reddy

Have you ever wondered why ‘Tourist’ or ‘All India Tourist Permit’ or ‘Tourist Vehicle’ are marked on motor cabs when hired for non-tourist purposes like office commute or cabs on aggregator platforms?

Source: Google Images

Operation of commercial passenger transportation vehicles in India is enabled through ‘Stage Carriage’, ‘Contract Carriage’ and ‘Tourist’ permits.

Contract Carriage Permits: Issued under section 74 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, finds common usage for hire for reward purposes. The permit holder holds the right to ply within or outside the city limits, but doesn’t hold the right to pick passengers other than those maintained in a passenger list. Auto-rickshaw, Taxi, Maxi cabs, etc. are a few of the permits issued by various State Transport Authorities as a contract carriage under the Motor Vehicles Act.

Stage Carriage Permits: Issued under section 72 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, this permit is issued by the State Transport Authority from time to time. The permit holder holds the right to operate their vehicle under their assigned routes, picking and dropping passengers from one place to another. These permits are usually issued for bus operators.

Tourist Permits are issued for operation of taxi as a tourist and as non-tourist vehicles for plying on a point to point basis under the following two different regimes:

1. Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989: Tourist Permits for motor cabs are issued under rules 82 to 85A of the CMV, 1989 which provide the process for application, authorisation fee, validity of permit and conditions for operation. Conditions for operation of Motor cabs with tourist permits issued under CMV Rules are specified in rule 85-A. Motor Cabs with tourist permits entering other states are required to pay the requisite tax to the respective State Transport Authority.
2. All India Permit for Tourist Transport Operators Rules, 1993: Permits under these rules are issued for a tourist transport operator (company or individual) for a motor vehicle or a motor cab upto a maximum vehicle capacity of 39 passengers excluding driver and conductor. The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has recently notified the draft ‘All India Tourist Vehicles Authorisation and Permit Rules, 2020’ that will supersede the above rules when notified. Conditions prescribed in Central Motor Vehicles (CMV) Rules 82 to 85A are not applicable for permits granted under this scheme. The permit issued under these rules is valid for operation throughout the country with the number of states not being less than three in number including the state in which the permit is issued. The number of states for which the permit is valid is specified in the permit.

For operation of cabs with Tourist Permit under city limits for point to point transportation or for operating on aggregator platforms, the vehicles also need to strictly comply with the emission/ fuel norms specified for such operation under the city taxi permits along with any other laws that are framed from time to time.

Both rules stipulate that the word ‘Tourist’ or ‘Tourist Vehicle’ be prominently displayed on the vehicle if they operate under any of the above two regimes irrespective of the purpose of the travel.

Today I learnt (TIL) is a weekly series by OMI that brings you interesting nuggets of information that you didn’t know you needed.