Shimla – The Himachal Pradesh Transport Department has announced stricter penalties for commercial vehicles entering the state from other regions without paying the prescribed taxes. This move comes after numerous instances of tax evasion by out-of-state commercial vehicle owners were reported, causing significant revenue loss to the state.
As per the recent amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act by the state government, higher fines will be levied on those who fail to comply with the tax regulations. According to the new provisions under Section 17 (4) of the Himachal Pradesh Motor Vehicles Taxation Act 1972, the fines have been significantly increased:
- For the first offence, light motor vehicles will face a fine of Rs 20,000.
- Other motor vehicles will incur a fine of Rs 50,000.
In cases of repeated offences, the penalties will be even more severe. Vehicle owners who continue to violate the tax regulations will be fined between Rs 40,000 and Rs 1 lakh.
This directive has been issued by RD Nazim, the Principal Secretary of the Transport Department. The department’s records reveal numerous instances where commercial vehicles from other states entered Himachal Pradesh without paying the required taxes, thereby violating the rules and causing financial losses to the state.
The amendment aims to curb such practices by imposing stricter fines and ensuring compliance with tax regulations. The Transport Department has been actively monitoring and catching vehicles that do not adhere to these rules, and with the new fines in place, it expects better compliance.
“There is a fixed tax on commercial vehicles in any state, and non-payment of this tax leads to revenue loss. Many owners of both small and large vehicles evade this tax. With the new fines, we hope to see a significant decrease in such violations,” said RD Nazim.
