The Regional Transport Office (RTO) in South Dinajpur district, BALURGHAT, has initiated efforts to recover pending taxes totaling approximately Rs 5 crore from vehicles, following instructions from the state Transport department.

Sujoy Sadhu, RTO of South Dinajpur, confirmed the initiative, stating that they have collected Rs 25 lakh in the last 15 days. The pending dues, encompassing about 20,000 vehicles in the district (both transport and non-transport), include taxes related to vehicle fitness, permits, road tax, and more.

According to Sadhu, 800 vehicles have fitness failures, and 300 permits have lapsed. The RTO is actively pursuing the collection of these dues by sending notices to vehicle owners, opening additional cash counters, and conducting awareness campaigns through leaflets and banners. Meetings with car owners and transport associations have also been held to discuss the outstanding payments.

Sadhu highlighted that, in line with state government instructions, fines would be waived for payments made within a specified period. For those who clear their dues by February 29 (for taxes due until December 31), the total fine will be waived. The waiver also applies to permit and CF dues, with a 100 percent waiver if paid by January 31 and an 80 percent waiver if paid by February 29.

He emphasized that the initiative aims to encourage owners of both transport and non-transport vehicles to settle their outstanding taxes promptly. Additionally, the recent meetings with vehicle associations have resulted in an uptick in fitness renewals compared to previous years.