Kolkata: The West Bengal State Transport Department has started sending text alerts and letters to both private and commercial vehicle owners, reminding them of their road tax dues. Those vehicle owners who have not paid their tax dues since 2020 are going to be the primary targets.
In case of dues still remaining unpaid, the State Transport Department can suspend a vehicle’s registration and withdraw the permit of a commercial vehicle under the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.
The State Transport is yet to ascertain the exact total number of defaulters. The dues, though, run into several hundred crores.
Many of these defaulters have vehicles well past their running conditions. However, footage from toll tax booths and other points revealed they were still moving around without clearing their road taxes.
The text alert informs that the validity of the road tax has expired, and the owner should clear it within 7 days of receiving the message. In addition, a letter from the concerned RTO is also being sent.
Last year, the Transport Department floated a waiver scheme to recover pending dues. Vehicle owners were offered a full waiver on road tax penalties if they paid their dues by 31 March.
Commercial vehicle owners were offered an 80 per cent waiver on penalties for non-payment of permit fees and non-renewal of fitness certificates if paid up by 31 March.
The scheme, though, did not yield the desired results and hence the strict provisions this time.
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