Private Bus operators raise a stink over seizures

Hyderabad: The Private Bus Owners and Operators Association on Monday alleged that the two Telugu States were seizing their buses illegally even though the High Court suspended the seizure orders.

Association member, M Sunil Reddy alleged that people were deluded with wrong information on registration of buses in other States. He said since there was no provision to register buses in both the Telugu States they had to register them in other states and added that it was costly for them to register buses in Arunachal Pradesh.

He said the 2+1 sleeper coaches were not registered in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. He alleged that the both State governments were illegally seizing their buses though the High Court had cancelled the seizure orders.

He said if the State governments continue with the same attitude then they would approach the court against them.
Sunil Reddy said they were operating their business as per the rules. “We are not competing against RTC but we are running buses to far away areas where there is no connectivity by RTC.

He said they were paying taxes in all the States, where they operate, every quarter without fail. This has been the practice for the past four years and the governments did not take any action then so why are they acting now,” asked Sunil Reddy.
He said the accidents were not because of sleeper buses but the seater buses involved.

The association members said out of the 1,300 private buses 700 buses are sleepers. The Association members alleged that a MP from Andhra Pradesh had sought for quotations from bus body builders in Bangalore and when he failed to get these buses, he started targeting others in the field.