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Keralam to Review Tourist Bus Color Code Amid Industry Concerns
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News18•30-09-2026, 14:15
Keralam to Review Tourist Bus Color Code Amid Industry Concerns
- •Keralam Chief Minister V D Satheesan announced a review of the uniform color code for tourist buses.
- •The State Transport Authority (STA) will make the final decision, considering the 2023 All India Tourist Vehicles (Permit) Rules.
- •The current color code, introduced in 2021, was a response to a Kerala High Court directive on road safety regarding bus aesthetics.
- •Complaints arose that the Keralam-specific color code negatively impacted the tourism transport sector, as All India permit vehicles from other states operated without similar restrictions.
- •The government aims to ensure compliance with central rules and High Court directives while addressing industry concerns and potential revenue loss.
Key Questions Answered
The government is reviewing the colour code because complaints indicated it harmed Keralam's tourism transport sector since out-of-state vehicles faced no such restrictions, and it prompted some owners to register their vehicles elsewhere, potentially impacting state tax revenues.
The STA introduced the uniform colour code on August 11, 2021, under Rule 264 of the Kerala Motor Vehicles Rules following a Kerala High Court directive to ban large actor photographs and writings on buses for road safety.
Yes, the notification specifies that any revised measures must continue to uphold the High Court's directions prohibiting giant photographs of film actors and writings on buses and safety glasses for road safety.
