Policy of All Bengal Contract Carriage Permit

Government of West Bengal
Transport Department
12, R.N. Mukheriee Road, Kolkata-700001

No. 3220-WT/7E-61/2013 Date: 29.08.2013

NOTIFICATION

Whereas, the Transport Department has received a communication from the Tourism Department to the effect that several representatives of the Tour Operators’ Associations, engaged in conducting organized tours within the State for both domestic and international tourists, have raised certain issues pertaining to issuance of permits for vehicles owned by them and engaged in carriage of tourists in the State only, and,

Whereas, certain areas in the State have been restricted, in so far as, issuance of new permits either from, to or through such areas are concerned, and,

Whereas, the problems were discussed in detail in a meeting with the members of different Tour Operators’ Associations of the State in presence of the officers of both the Tourism Department and the Transport Department of Government of West Bengal, and,

Whereas, the need was felt, at that meeting, for issuance of “All Bengal Contract Carriage Permits” by the Transport Authorities for the vehicles owned by such Tourist Operators and also the “Tourism Units” as defined in Section 3(iii) of the West Bengal Incentive Scheme, 2008 for Tourism Units and elaborated further in the Annexure I of the said scheme, for the purpose of free and easy movement of the tourists, and,

Whereas, such “All Bengal Contract Carriage Permits” are issued at present by the State Transport Authority, West Bengal only, and, all applicants have to come all the way to Kolkata from far flung areas of West Bengal for this purpose, thereby causing inconvenience to them in general,

Now, therefore, in the interest of promoting tourism in this State and on the recommendation of the Tourism Department of the Government of West Bengal, and also to decentralise this process from State level to the District level, the Governor has been pleased to decide that a policy, (as described hereinafter) for the issuance of “All Bengal Contract Carriage Permits” exclusively for the purpose of carrying tourists throughout the State, shall be followed in the manner as detailed below:

1. Scope:

i. Contract Carriage permits for the whole State of West Bengal may be issued as per provisions of Sections 73 and 74 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988;

ii. In accordance with section 69 of the aforesaid Act, application for such permits is to be made to the Regional Transport Authority, under whose jurisdiction the vehicle of the applicant will be registered;

2. Eligibility:

i. “Tour Operators” as approved by the Tourism Department;

ii. “Tourism Units” so registered by the Director of Tourism;

3. Procedure:

i. Applications are to be made in Form II with prescribed fees, as stipulated in the West Bengal Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989;

ii. A declaration by the applicant to the effect that the vehicle will be used solely for carrying tourists along with a certificate of approval of the Tourism Department (in case of Tour Operators) or the copy of the Registration Certificate issued by the Director of Tourism (in case of Tourism Units), as the case may be, is to be submitted along with every such application;

iii. Offer Letters for permits may be issued instantly after verification of the application along with the documents submitted therewith;

iv. Permits are to be issued in Form IV the West Bengal Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, printed in sky blue coloured paper of A4 size only, and only upon production of the vehicle of the required specification subject to realisation of requisite fees;

v. Purpose of use of the vehicle should be clearly mentioned in the permit as “For Carriage of Tourists Only”,

vi. The permit will be for the “Whole State of West Bengal, except the areas falling under the municipal limits of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation and the Municipal limits of Asansol city of Burdwan district”, subject to the use of the vehicle for carrying tourists only;

vii. In accordance with section 96(2) (xi) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, the requirement of countersignature is also hereby relaxed for such “All Bengal Contract Carriage Permits” exclusively for the purpose of carriage of tourists throughout the State, except the areas falling under the municipal limits of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation and the Municipal limits of Asansol city of Burdwan district;

4. Conditions:

i. The permit shall be deemed to be invalid from the date on which the vehicle covered by the permit completes nine years of age (in case of motor cabs) and eight years of age (in case of vehicles other than motor cabs), subject to the replacement of the vehicle by a new vehicle of similar nature and required specifications;

ii. The vehicle should preferably be BS IV complaint vehicle. In case of BS III complaint vehicles the journey of the vehicle may either originate from / terminate at/ traverse through the KMC area only, i.e., restriction on exclusive use within “Kolkata” as defined in Rule 2(b) of the West Bengal Motor vehicles Rules, 1989, will continue;

iii. No vehicle of more than two years of age, calculated from the date of its initial registration, shall be allowed to be placed against any such offer letter and the same should comply with the specification as prescribed in Rule 128 of C.M.V. Rules, 1989, in so far as may be applicable;

iv. The words “Tourist Vehicle” are to be displayed in white coloured letters of sizes (15 cm x 7.5 cm) within a blue band of (25cm x 10cm) width on the top of the front windscreen of the vehicle, with internal illumination facility for night time use;

v. The vehicle shall also be painted in White colour with a blue band of 5 cm width on both sides of the vehicle from the front headlights to the backlights. The words “For Tourists Only” shall be inscribed in white coloured letters of sizes (15cm x 7.5cm) on the blue band and within a circle in blue having a diameter of 25 cm;

vi. The driver and/ or the conductor shall wear uniform in white colour only and shall be guided by the provisions of Rule 191 of the West Bengal Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989;

vii. A hologram of specified type issued by the Tourism Department against each such permit, is also to be displayed on the top left hand corner of the front windscreen of the vehicle covered by the permit;

viii. A list of tourists must be carried with relevant details like name, address, age, nationality, journey details, etc., for each journey and shall be produced on demand by the approved authority.

All Regional Transport Authorities are requested to take necessary actions to dispose of any application, from the eligible candidates, for the above mentioned contract carriage permits, for carriage of tourist only, without any delay.

By the order of the Governor

Sd/- Joint Secretary
Transport Department

No. 3220-WT dated 29.08.2013