In a big blow to private omnibus operators in the State, the Madras High Court Bench here on Tuesday directed the State government to stop “perpetuating the illegality” of permitting operators or their agents to fix and collect fares from passengers, since the Motor Vehicles Act 1988 classifies the omnibuses as ‘contract carriages’ that could be hired only for point-to-point travel.
As the government had failed to fix the charges to be collected by omnibus operators for hiring an entire bus, the court appointed a five-member expert committee headed by retired judge Justice K.N. Basha. It will “make necessary recommendations so that the Government shall notify the fares for the contract carriages as per Section 67 of the Motor Vehicles Act.” Contract carriage operators shall be bound by the fares notified, said the Bench.
