Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Jun 5: M Dinesh Kumpala, president of Tourist Car and Van Drivers and Owners’ Association, alleged that a number of travel agencies, acting in tandem with managements of certain schools, were causing loss to the tune of several crore of rupees to the government by way of  road tax. He put the approximate figure of such loss during the last three years at Rs 2.65 crore.

Speaking to presspersons in the city on Tuesday June 4, he noted that a number of private schools had preferred services by vehicles run by travel agencies for ferrying the children. He pointed out that vehicles working for schools enjoy rebate in tax, and the travel agencies, by using the same vehicles for carrying the students and tourists, have caused loss to the government.

Kumpala claimed that most of the accidents involving school buses were caused by inexperienced drivers hired by the agencies.  He added that the association has brought this to the notice of the department concerned.

He resented the practice of school buses being used for organizing trips during holidays.

Kumpala expressed the association’s opposition to the guidelines of the regional transport office for painting all vehicles ferrying children to schools with yellow colour. His reasoning was that people do not prefer yellow colour vehicles for their trips, as they feel them to be below their standard. He said it would be difficult for vehicle owners to survive only on income from carrying school children in the vehicles, once the vehicles are painted yellow.

Association general secretary, Prashanth Alva, vice president, George D’Silva, and Jagadish Ullal were present.