Private bus route permit scam deprives state of massive revenue
View(s):The Government is losing millions of rupees by way of revenue as a result of illegal operations of private buses without route permits in areas outside Colombo, Transport Ministry sources revealed.
The issuing of route permits has become a problem at present as in some instances permits were given without following proper tender procedure, a senior official of the Ministry told the Business Times.
The National Transport Commission (NTC) is the authority to issue private bus route permits on tender basis and the highest bidder/s of each routes will be given the route permits, he disclosed.
The major reason for these irregularities was the improper management of the transport sector during the previous regime
Transport Minister Nimla Siripala de Silva has issued a directive to conduct an inquiry into private buses operating without route permits and buses with permits obtained without the approval of the NTC, the official said. The Minister also ordered to cancel route permits issued without following proper tender procedure to operate eight buses on the Southern Expressway and take disciplinary action against officials involved in the corrupt practice.
Several bus owners with links to powerful politicians of the previous regime are running 70 buses illegally on the Colombo – Jaffna route depriving the government of millions of rupees by way of revenue, the official said.
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