Transporters will be provided 50% waiver of road tax in Maharashtra

Mumbai: On Tuesday Maharashtra government issued government resolution (GR) giving a 50% waiver in road tax payable by goods and commercial vehicles for a year from April 2020 to March 2021.

Due to pandemic followed by lockdown has caused transporters huge losses. The transporters demanded a complete waiver of tax for six months of lockdown from April 1 to September 30, which if not granted, they will launch an agitation.

The GR stated concession will benefit goods vehicles, tourist vehicles, private service vehicles, excavators, commercial camper vehicles and school buses/vehicles. It will ensure that vehicles will be back on roads. However, there is an ambiguity in the order as suggested by private bus and cab operators. A delegation of transporters will go to the ministry for a clarification.

Malik Patel of Mumbai Bus Malak Sanghatana said, “We do not want to pay 50% taxes for six lockdown months as our vehicles were not used. We were out of business for 6 months and banks have already started loan recovery and insurance companies are not ready to help”.

More than 11.4 lakh vehicles registered in the state will benefit from the GR. However, for availing of the benefit, the vehicle owner should have paid previous year’s tax before March 31, 2020, and the waiver will be applicable for the period between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021, the GR said.

On August 26, the state cabinet had considered waiving 50 percent tax on public transport and goods vehicles for providing relief to the transport sector which has been adversely affected by lockdown occurred due to pandemic.