To prioritise passenger safety and comfort, the Odisha government has restricted the transfer of ownership for commercial public transport vehicles, such as buses and taxis, which are over 10 years old and originally registered in other states, officials said on Monday.
The State Transport Authority (STA) issued the directive keeping the safety, comfort and convenience of the travelling public in view, according to an order.
“The stage/contract carriers registered in other states that are more than 10 years old from the month and year of manufacturing shall not be granted any permit in the state of Odisha,” read the order issued by the STA.
To ensure compliance, the government has instructed all Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) to stop processing address changes, ownership transfers, and tax payments for vehicles falling under these criteria, the order said.
With these new regulations in effect, no commercial vehicle, including cabs, buses and taxis, older than 10 years and registered outside the state, will be permitted to register within Odisha, a senior STA official stated.
However, the official noted that such vehicles are still permitted to transit through Odisha and use state roads. Furthermore, the new rule does not retroactively apply to older vehicles that were already registered in Odisha before this order.
“This order will not be applicable for private vehicles and other commercial vehicles like trucks,” the officer clarified.
The official further stated that similar measures have been adopted in states like Uttar Pradesh, noting that the move is expected to stimulate the local economy while significantly upgrading public transportation safety standards.
The move aims to improve road safety standards, reduce the number of unfit vehicles on the road, and reduce air pollution from old vehicles, the official said.
