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Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Crackdown on fake bus permits on India-Nepal route
Lucknow: Taking serious note of private buses operating illegally on the India-Nepal international route in the state using forged permits, Uttar Pradesh transport commissioner has launched a major crackdown and urged the director general of police for an STF probe into the issue. Officials said the issue was first flagged by FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Office) Lucknow and SSB where several buses presented permits at the Nepal border that appeared to be issued by the Regional Transport Office but were found to be completely fake or beyond legal jurisdiction (Ultra Vires) upon probe. So far, forged permits have been confirmed in three districts—Aligarh, Baghpat and Maharajganj—where the respective ARTOs have certified that no such documents were issued from their offices. Following this, FIRs have been filed and legal proceedings initiated against the accused. Additionally, similar permits have been presented in districts like Gorakhpur, Etawah and Auraiya, which prima facie violate the provisions of the India-Nepal Passenger Transport Agreement, 2014. Departmental disciplinary action has begun in the Gorakhpur case. According to official sources: "RTO-based touts were generating permits for the India-Nepal route which is not even required. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas Prices In Dubai Might Be More Affordable Than You Think Villas In Dubai | Search Ads Get Quote Undo Since the private bus operators were not aware of rules, they were paying hefty amounts for the fake permits. This burden was ultimately passed on to the passengers who had to pay extra for the commute." Given the seriousness of the matter, transport commissioner Brajesh Narayan Singh has written to Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Krishna, requesting that the State Task Force (STF) conduct a comprehensive and coordinated investigation in these districts. As per section 88(8) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and Articles III(5) and III(11) of the India-Nepal Agreement, only permits issued in Form-C by the destination country's embassy-consulate are valid for international routes. Permits issued in SR-30 or SR-31 forms at the state level are not legally valid for the India–Nepal route. Some permits were also found to be auto generated via the VAHAN 4.0 portal due to manual entry allowed in the "via" column, where "Nepal" was entered. The department had earlier instructed National Informatics Centre (NIC) to restrict this to a dropdown list, but the implementation was partial. The department is now requesting NIC to fix this loophole and restructure the faceless permit system. The commissioner has also written to the Centre requesting MEA to share all Form-C permits issued by Indian and Nepali embassies with enforcement agencies; NIC to develop a portal for real-time verification of permits at the India-Nepal border and MoRTH to clarify that only Form-C is a valid international permit. UP shares an over-550-km border with Nepal, covering seven districts -- Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Maharajganj and Siddharthnagar.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Indian Express
Transport dept cracks down on private buses using forged permits along India-Nepal border
By Bhupendra Pandey THE STATE Transport Department has launched a crackdown on private buses using forged permits along the India-Nepal border, following alerts from the FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Office) Lucknow and SSB (Sashastra Seema Bal), officials said on Wednesday. Although the counterfeit permits appeared valid, issued by the Regional Transport Authority in the first instance, detailed investigations revealed they were either entirely fake, or issued beyond legal jurisdiction. Fake permits have been clearly identified in three districts — Aligarh, Baghpat and Maharajganj. The ARTOs in these districts verified that no such permits were issued from their offices. FIRs have been filed and strict action has been initiated against the culprits. Transport Commissioner Brajesh Narayan Singh has written to Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh, Rajeev Krishna requesting an STF investigation into the cases registered in these three districts, officials said. Taking serious cognizance of these violations, the state government has directed rigorous enforcement measures to prevent such fraudulent operations and safeguard the integrity of international travel protocols on the sensitive border. Similar permits have been found in districts like Gorakhpur, Etawah, and Auraiya, which appear to violate the provisions of the India-Nepal Passenger Transport Agreement, 2014. In the Gorakhpur case, departmental disciplinary action has already started. The Transport Commissioner clarified that under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (Section 88(8)) and Article III(5) and III(11) of India-Nepal agreement, permits for international routes are valid only if issued in Form-C by the destination country's embassy or consulate. Permits issued by state authorities on SR-30 or SR-31 forms are not legally valid for the India-Nepal route. According to Article III (5) of the India-Nepal Passenger Transport Agreement, 2014, and Note-4 of Form-C, permits for private buses carrying passengers to Nepal are valid only if issued in Form-C by the embassy or consulate of the destination country. In this context, any permit issued by an RTO, ARTO, or RTA on SR-30 or SR-31 forms is legally invalid (Ultra Vires) for crossing the international border. This clarification is essential to avoid any confusion and to ensure that all concerned agencies interpret and enforce the rules correctly. It is also noted that some permits appeared to be generated through the VAHAN 4.0 portal's auto-approval system, where the 'via' column could be filled manually, allowing entries like 'Nepal.' Although the UP Transport Department had earlier directed NIC to restrict these entries to a pre-set dropdown list, the system was only partially implemented. This loophole allowed some permits to be generated automatically, leading to serious misuse. The department is now requesting NIC again to fix this flaw and has started restructuring the legal framework of the faceless system. The Transport Commissioner has also written to the Government of India, requesting that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) share the complete list of Form-C permits issued by Indian and Nepalese embassies with all enforcement agencies in a timely manner. He also requested the development of a portal through NIC for real-time verification of permits at the India-Nepal border. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has been asked to officially clarify that only Form-C is recognised as a valid international permit. The Transport Commissioner emphasised that tampering with national security and border control through forged documents will not be tolerated. He assured that strict legal action will be taken against the offenders involved in such activities. He added that the state has written to the Centre and the MoRTH to initiate the necessary technical improvements in the faceless permit system to prevent such misuse in the future.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Crackdown on fake permits at Indo-Nepal border; FIRs filed in three UP districts, STF probe ordered
LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Transport Department has launched a major crackdown on the illegal operation of private buses using forged permits along the Indo-Nepal international route. After receiving reports from the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Transport Commissioner Brajesh Narayan Singh has taken strict administrative and legal action. Investigations have revealed that several buses were using counterfeit permits at the Nepal border. These permits appeared to be issued by regional transport authorities but were either completely fake or issued beyond legal jurisdiction. Confirmed cases of such forged permits have been found in Aligarh, Baghpat, and Maharajganj, where local ARTOs verified that no such permits were officially granted. FIRs have been filed in these districts, and legal proceedings are underway. Similar suspicious permits have also come to light in Gorakhpur, Etawah, and Auraiya, violating the Indo-Nepal Passenger Transport Agreement of 2014. Disciplinary action has already been initiated in the Gorakhpur case. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Đây có thể là thời điểm tốt nhất để giao dịch vàng trong 5 năm qua IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo The Commissioner has written to the Director General of Police (DGP), requesting a consolidated investigation by the Special Task Force (STF). He has also urged the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to clarify that only permits issued in Form-C by the destination country's embassy or consulate are valid for international travel. The issue partly stems from loopholes in the VAHAN 4.0 portal, where manual entry in the 'via' column allowed unauthorised destinations like Nepal to be listed. The department has asked NIC to correct this flaw and redesign the faceless permit system. The UP Transport Department has reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, security, and treaty compliance. Commissioner Singh said, "Tampering with national security through fake documents will not be tolerated, and all culprits will face strict legal consequences."
