Numbers game: Pay tax, buy peace

PATNA: Patnaites, of late, have been left high and dry in the wake of the intense vehicle-checking drive being conducted by Bihar’s transport department.
So much so that even a mere sight of transport officials, who, it seems, have suddenly woken up to the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, starts giving nightmares to the city residents. As a result, they prefer to take circuitous routes to avoid the "dragnet" of transport officials.
The worst hit are those who were hitherto unaware of Sections 43, 47, 48 and 49 of the Motor Vehicles Act which deal with temporary registration, assignment of new registration mark on moving to another state, no-objection certificate and change of residence or place of business.These sections deal with those vehicles which are not registered in the state.
For the errant, the fine could be as high as ten times the tax due on them. And if they don''t pay the fine, the vehicle is seized by the transport officials.
Joint state transport commissioner D M Jha said any vehicle registered outside the state has to be registered afresh in the state if the period of stay exceeds one month. In case the period of stay is less than a month, one should apply for a temporary registration, he said.
The state capital has been divided into 16 zones, comprising 48 points, in which the drive is being conducted. The vehicle-checking team comprises of Patna DTO, enforcement officers, motor vehicle inspectors and executive magistrates of Patna division. The team, assisted by police forces made available by the SSP and the traffic SP, functions in all the 16 zones from Patna City to Saguna More.
The state transport department ranks second in terms of revenue generation in the state, Jha said. In the last financial year, Rs 220 crore was raised by it, he said and added that this year the drive has yielded over Rs 20 lakh so far. In Bihar, FIRs have been registered against over 4,000 vehicle-owners, Jha said and added that at a time when criminal activities are on the rise, such a drive only helps in curbing crime.
Junior transport minister Rajesh Singh said the harsh measures are being adopted to catch hold of those vehicles which have been registered in Jharkhand or West Bengal to save taxes and are plying freely in Patna without the requisite papers. He said there is also a provision for refund of the due amount paid during registration if a person wishes to move to another state.