Transport Department collected a whopping Rs.14.03 lakh
as tax and compounding fees from owners of heavy vehicles found plying
without proper documents and non-payment of tax during special drives
conducted from February 1 at various places in the district.

The
special drives for collection of tax and compounding fees were
conducted at places such as Samayapuram toll plaza, Tiruverambur,
Manapparai, Manikandam and Palpannai in the city on the instruction of
the Deputy Transport Commissioner, Tiruchi, Veerapandian.

Officials
of the department checked Omni buses and goods vehicles of other states
besides construction equipment vehicles during the drives. Tax and
compounding fees amounting to Rs.14.03 lakh were collected from a total
number of 48 heavy vehicles, including 20 Omni buses of other States and
equal number of construction equipment vehicles for non-payment of tax
and plying without proper documents till date, a department official
here said.

The officials conducted a similar drive at
Srirangam in the stretch from Amma Mandapam to Rajagopuram on Tuesday
during which four Omni buses with Andhra Pradesh registration were found
plying without proper documents. Compounding fee of Rs.500 each was
collected from the vehicles.

A sum of Rs.14,350 was
collected as tax from a Karnataka registration maxi cab, which was found
plying with seats beyond the permitted capacity.