Robin model private buses all set for Sabarimala service; MVD warns of strict action

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Private buses with All India Permits emulating the ‘Robin bus’ model and are now preparing plans to start service to Sabarimala. There was an announcement on social media from many private bus owners that they will start service soon.

Meanwhile, MVD warned about strict actions against those buses and said that it is illegal as they are contract carriage buses. Only stage carriage (route service) buses can run this service. As of now, only the KSRTC bus runs service to Sabarimala in Kerala.

All India permits are issued to contract carriage buses and these cannot be used as stage carriages. KSRTC also alleges that Robin Bus tried to operate the service by stopping at bus stops flouting the all-India permit rules.

Although the buses fall in the contract carriage category, some relaxations are provided for the All India Permit. Rules 82 to 85A of the Central Motor Vehicles Act are not applicable to All India Permits as per notification dated 18th April 2023. So the service can be operated like a route bus. Robin bus operated on the Pathanamthitta - Coimbatore route on Wednesday without encountering any inspection by the Motor Vehicle Department. The authorities withdrew following the Supreme Court's directive not to impede the bus’s service.