AP transport minister slams Telangana tax on vehicles

AP transport minister slams Telangana tax on vehicles
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Highlights

AP Transport Minister Sidda Ragahava Rao Slams Telangana Tax On Vehicles. The night bus services of Hundreds of private operators was either cancelled or put on hold today as the Telangana government has decided to levy tax on all private vehicles, stage carriers and goods carriers entering Telangana from Andhra Pradesh, from 1 April.

The night bus services of Hundreds of private operators was either cancelled or put on hold today as the Telangana government has decided to levy tax on all private vehicles, stage carriers and goods carriers entering Telangana from Andhra Pradesh, from 1 April.

However the state owned APSRTC is exempted from the purview of the tax as the division of assets and staff is still pending before the central committee.

The Telangana has exempted AP from paying tax as Governor ESL Narasimhan upon the request of lorry and private operators from AP had decreed that no tax will be levied by either state for intra-travel of passengers and goods until the midnight of 31 March, 2015. With no fresh deal with the neighboring state, the Telangana government has decided to go ahead with its plan imposing quarterly entry tax from private operators of AP.

“We have urged the Telangana government to exempt AP from entry tax and we are ready to reciprocate the same as Hyderabad is a common capital for another 9 years. Tax means increased prices of goods and travel,” AP Transport minister Sidda Ragahava Rao rued addressing press at AP secretariat here on Tuesday.

“How the vehicles entering their own capital will be taxed,” he asked. The Minister said that when he met his counterpart, the Telangana Transportation minister Mahender Reddy, he has agreed for a meeting but later retracted. The proposed meeting was cancelled allegedly because of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s intervention who wanted AP to pay tax like any other state.

Raghava Rao said that final decision rests with AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu who is currently on a tour to Singapore. Meanwhile, YV Eswar Rao, General Secretary of AP Lorry owners Association speaking in Vijayawada has urged both the governments to avoid confrontation and reach an amicable solution to reduce burden on common man. “Quarterly tax will run into lakhs of rupees which will be passed on to the consumer,” he cautioned.

Meanwhile private operators running buses to Hyderabad and via Hyderabad have stopped advanced booking and are demanding additional charges for the booked tickets putting the travelling plans of thousands of visitors and the Holiday travelers in jeopardy.

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