Brake on road tax evaders

KOLKATA: Next time you drive your car, make sure its papers are in order. The state transport department will deploy inspectors to keep tabs on vehicles registered with the public vehicles department (PVD) but plying without paying road tax.
During a recent meeting, transport minister Subrata Bakshi directed the department senior officials to take measures to augment revenue from road tax.
He told the officials to form a team comprising inspectors from the PVD and rope in surplus employees of different state transport corporations to conduct checks on the city streets.
To begin with, this group will be with Kolkata traffic policemen at important crossings such as Shyambazar, College Street, Chitta Ranjan Avenue, Burrabazar, Strand Road, BBD Bagh, JL Nehru Road, Rabindra Sadan, Bhowanipore, Hazra, Kalighat, Alipore, Rashbehari Avenue and Gariahat.
PVD secretary Ujjal Sengupta said a team of inspectors were gearing up for the operation. "We have received specific instructions from the transport minister and are mobilizing our forces for the purpose. This is an attempt to streamline the raid in an organized manner. This will generate significant revenue for the PVD," he added.
The department has 13 inspectors who are entrusted with keeping a check on cars. Sengupta said the minister sought to crack down on the vehicle owners who are habitual defaulters. PVD collects Rs 120 crore every year as road tax. "The revenue will go up by at least 15-20% if checks are carried out," a PVD official said.
The PVD department has set up a public grievance cell at its office on Sarat Bose Road. People have been advised to lodge complaints against harassment by the government officials.