GUWAHATI:
Vehicle owners in Assam will have to pay their outstanding bill within Monday (February 28) as the Assam government has refused to extend the deadline.
The state transport department had set the deadline of January 31 for tax defaulting vehicle owners to clear their outstanding dues. However, the deadline has been extended to February 28 due to the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the state.
“If the vehicle owners fail to meet the deadline, the department will initiate cases against them under economic offences. The department has not got around Rs 400 crore arrear dues from vehicle owners in the state, including Rs 130 crore from the vehicle owners of Guwahati. Arrear dues comprise mainly road tax and the motor vehicle tax of luxurious cars paid during registration,” said Gautam Das, assistant transport commissioner.
On February 1, the transport department launched Operation All Clear to mop up outstanding dues from errant vehicle owners. As a result, the department was able to collect more than Rs 10-crore arrear tax.
“As per the official notification, if vehicle owners fail to clear their arrear tax by tomorrow, the transport authority will take strong action against them with a penalty from March 1 this year,” Das said on Sunday.
Heavy fines will also be imposed on the vehicle owners who, taking advantage of lockdown, have not paid their arrear tax from February 2020 onwards.