GANAPATHY BUS SERVICE Vs. REGIONAL TRANSPORT OFFICER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) These appeals are filed against the order of the learned single Judge dated 05.07.2002 made in the respective writ petitions non suiting the respective writ petitioners for the relief of quashing the order 21.06.2002 impugned in the writ petitions wherein and whereby the mofusil buses plying via Palladam, Sulur and Ondipudur and reaching Gandhipuram central bus stand was restricted to Singanallur new bus stand.

(2.) Before the learned Judge, it was contended that such restriction was against the statutory provisions of section 72(2)(xxii) of the Motor Vehicles Act and also Clause (f) of Rule 244 of the Motor Vehicles Rules. Such contention has not found favour before the learned singe Judge. Hence, the present writ appeals are filed.

(3.) When the matter is pending before this Court, the Regional Transport Officer, Coimbatore South, has filed a supplementary affidavit. In that, after referring to the earlier affidavit filed by it, the deponent averred that after considering the representation of the short distance commuters expressing their difficulty of change over of buses to reach Gandhipuram, the respondents felt that the objections of the construction of Singanallur bus stand is to reduce congestion in Gandhipuram bus stand and inside Coimbatore city and was decided that the authorities could consider permitting only the very short distance buses, i.e., buses coming from Coimbatore originating from points within 55 kms of the city to terminate at Gandhipuram bus stand after stopping in Singanallur bus stand. However, all the buses plying via Trichy road and coming to Coimbatore from beyond the distance of 55 kms including Madurai, Trichy, Karur, etc., will terminate at Singanallur while the buses plying from the very short distances, i.e., within 55 kms, via Ayyankoil, Sulur, Palladam, Tiruppur can be considered terminating at Gandhipuram bus stand after entering into Singanallur bus stand. This arrangement would be a good trade off between public convenience and reducing congestion in Gandhipuram bus stand and the city.