Cal HC asks Bengal govt to publish draft notification on 15-yr-old buses

Kolkata, Nov 16 (PTI) The West Bengal government, in a draft notification presented before the Calcutta High Court, has said that over 15-year-old stage carriers registered in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area will be allowed to ply with bi-annual fitness certificates.

The court held that there is no scope for further adjudication in a petition filed by a private bus owners' association, as their grievances were mitigated in the draft notification presented before it by the West Bengal government.

Disposing of the petition on Friday, Justice Rai Chattopadhyay gave liberty to the West Bengal government to publish the draft notification as submitted before the court at the earliest point of time.

The draft notification said, "Stage carriage buses registered in Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA) only shall be allowed to ply beyond 15 years of age from the day of initial registration." It said that the vehicle fitness and pollution levels of the stage carriage buses are to be checked bi-annually after the vehicle attains the age of 15 years from the date of initial registration.

The draft notification clarified that a certificate of fitness will be granted only if emission levels remain below the maximum permissible level. PTI AMR ACD