Buses in Greater Noida are allegedly misusing tourist permits by carrying passengers and goods outside prescribed operating rules.
How Are Tourist Permits Being Misused?
Long-route buses operating under All India Tourist Permits are allegedly violating transport rules by picking up and dropping passengers at arbitrary locations instead of following the conditions attached to their permits.
The practice has raised road safety concerns, with buses also accused of carrying passengers beyond their permitted capacity and transporting unauthorised goods. Transport department officials are reportedly aware of such violations, but enforcement has remained a concern.
Under tourist permit rules, operators are required to provide information about prescribed stoppages for both online and offline operations. Bus operators are also required to make this information available through their applications. The rules prohibit carrying goods in violation of the applicable conditions.
Thousands of buses operate daily from Greater Noida and surrounding areas, including New Delhi, Kashmere Gate, Anand Vihar, Sarai Kale Khan, Kaushambi, Noida, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur, Lucknow, Jhansi, Hamirpur and Mahoba. Services also connect to destinations in Bihar, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
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What Do Different Permits Allow?
A stage carriage permit allows buses to operate on a specified route and provides for passengers to board and alight at designated places along that route. Such permits are issued under Section 72 of the Motor Vehicles Act.
Contract carriage permits apply when a bus operates under an agreement with a person, organisation or group. Chartered buses are included in this category.
Private service vehicle permits are used by companies, factories, institutions or schools to transport their employees or students.
The All India Tourist Permit framework, meanwhile, allows tourist vehicles to operate across the country under a valid permit. The 2023 All India Tourist Vehicles Permit rules are intended to govern nationwide tourist vehicle operations.
What Did the Bus Permit Records Show?
One bus operating between Noida and Mahoba, bearing registration number BR32PA8647, was cited as an example. Its base tourist permit was issued by the Muzaffarpur regional transport office on April 8, 2023 and is valid until April 7, 2028.
The bus owner subsequently obtained All India Tourist Permit authorisation for the period from April 8, 2026 to April 7, 2027. The process requires the applicant to pay the prescribed fee through the website and does not require a visit to an RTO. The authorisation is issued automatically if there is no pending challan.
Despite such permit conditions, operators are alleged to conceal offline seat and goods bookings while keeping information on their applications updated.
What Action Can Authorities Take?
Transport authorities can examine whether buses are being operated in accordance with the permit category under which they are registered. Officials also investigate tourist routes, tourist records and log books to determine whether permit conditions are being followed.
If irregularities are detected, a penalty of ₹10,000 can be imposed. The report also notes that authorities can scrutinise challan action after accidents and examine whether continued violations warrant stronger proceedings.
Under the Motor Vehicles Act, negligence can lead to proceedings concerning the permit, while continued violations can result in seizure of the vehicle. The issue has placed renewed attention on whether buses operating under tourist permits are actually functioning as tourist vehicles or being used for regular passenger and goods transport outside their authorised conditions.
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