CHENNAI: Inter-State private bus operations between Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka have been thrown into disarray after transport authorities in the neighbouring states launched extensive checks on omnibuses registered in Tamil Nadu.

In a joint statement, omnibus associations from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry said operators had been pushed to a point where they could no longer run services between these States. They urged the Tamil Nadu government to intervene and resolve the issue with neighbouring States.

On November 7, Kerala officials detained more than 30 Tamil Nadu buses, part of over 100 inspected that day, and imposed fines exceeding Rs 70 lakh. Similarly, Karnataka authorities intercepted more than 60 buses with Tamil Nadu registration plates over the past week and collected about Rs 1.15 crore in penalties, charging up to Rs 2.2 lakh per vehicle.

Both states have reportedly argued that Tamil Nadu continues to levy road tax on their buses despite the All India Tourist Permit (AITP) regime introduced in 2021, and that their enforcement action is reciprocal.

Operators said the sudden penalties and overlapping taxes had created an unsustainable financial burden. From 8 pm on November 7, over 100 omnibuses bound for Kerala were suspended, affecting regular travellers and Sabarimala pilgrims. A single inter-State bus now incurs nearly Rs 4.5 lakh in quarterly taxes across multiple States, they said.