Tourist buses in Kerala may flaunt new shades; govt directs review of white colour code
Kerala's Transport Authority is reviewing the mandatory white, violet, and gold tourist bus colour scheme, potentially ending it due to competitive disadvantages and conflicting with national rules.
Kerala's Transport Authority is reviewing the mandatory white, violet, and gold tourist bus colour scheme, potentially ending it due to competitive disadvantages and conflicting with national rules.
Kerala's Transport Authority is reviewing the mandatory white, violet, and gold tourist bus colour scheme, potentially ending it due to competitive disadvantages and conflicting with national rules.
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala’s tourist buses may soon be freed from the mandatory colour scheme introduced in the State in 2021, with the government directing the State Transport Authority (STA) to review and reconsider the existing rule.
Under the current colour scheme, contract carriages other than light motor vehicles are required to follow a uniform design, with the body painted white and a violet stripe running horizontally across the middle, along with a thin golden stripe above it.
In a government order issued on Tuesday, the Transport Department directed the STA to reconsider its August 11, 2021 decision prescribing the uniform colour scheme for different classes of contract carriages.
The government said the review should take into account the All India Tourist Vehicles (Permit) Rules, 2023 issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. These rules do not prescribe a specific colour for the body of tourist vehicles.
The government said representations had been received seeking withdrawal of the uniform colour scheme, pointing out that the Kerala-specific restriction had adversely affected the tourism transport sector.
It also noted that tourist vehicles registered in other States and operating in Kerala are not subject to a similar colour restriction. This, the government said, could reduce the opportunities for hiring Kerala-registered tourist buses.
The government order further pointed out that a state-specific colour requirement could put Kerala-registered tourist vehicles at a "competitive disadvantage" and influence operators' choice of state for registration. This could affect the state's revenue from motor vehicle tax, permit fees and other registration-related sources, the order said.
The existing colour scheme was introduced following a 2019 Kerala High Court judgment in a case concerning the display of gigantic figures of film stars, writings and other material on buses and safety glass. The court had held that such displays should not be permitted in the interest of road safety. Subsequently, the STA prescribed the uniform colour scheme for contract carriages other than light motor vehicles.
The latest government order makes it clear that any changes to the colour scheme must continue to comply with the High Court's 2019 judgment and other binding directions.
The government order does not immediately abolish the existing colour scheme. Instead, it begins the process for the STA to reconsider the rule and take further action in accordance with law.