Days after a vehicle used to ferry passengers to aircraft inside the airport was seized by the Motor Vehicles Department, the Cochin International Airport authorities on Thursday “clarified” that the specialised vehicles plying inside the operational area were exempted from registering with the MVD as per Central government orders.
“We have raised the issue with the ground handling agencies who have taken contract to operate their own vehicles inside the operational area of the airport for transporting passengers to and from aircraft. The agencies informed that these specialised vehicles plying inside the operational area [airside] of the airport do not have to be registered with the State Motor Vehicle Department as per the Central government order,” said C. Dinesh Kumar, deputy general manager (operations), Cochin International Airport Limited.
The bus was seized by a team led by Ernakulam Deputy Transport Commissioner (DTC) Ajith Kumar for “failing to register and pay taxes to the tune of ₹5 lakh.”. “The Motor Vehicles Act clearly states that any vehicle ‘kept for use’ have to remit the road tax. Currently, a case is pending before the court to determine whether such vehicles deployed inside airports and seaports have to remit tax or not. Till the verdict arrives, such vehicles should remit tax,” a senior MVD officer said.
However, the CIAL authorities said that the vehicles were exempted as per the order of the Ministry of Surface Transport (No. RT-11044/4/92- MVL) and a directive from the Ministry of Civil Aviation (to the secretaries of all State Government / UT Administrations) dated November 3, 1992.
“Please be informed that Cochin International Airport Limited [CIAL] has no objection in giving you the details of the vehicles / equipment plying inside the operational area on demand from your side,” the airport official said in his letter to the MVD.
