The state transport department in a notification on Friday increased the timeframe to renew documents of commercial vehicles and driving licences till June 2021.

The notification, which came on the day the department’s minister Suvendu Adhikari submitted his resignation as minister, also waived penalties and extra charges for delayed renewal of documents such as certificate of fitness, permits and driving licences of drivers of commercial permits, provided those documents are renewed by June 30, 2021.

The decision has come as a major relief for transporters of the state, including those in north Bengal, who had sought relief from penalty and other charges that need to be paid to renew such documents, citing lack of or reduced income during the prolonged lockdown and many vehicular movement curbs in the pandemic situation.

“The waiver is for commercial vehicles and is applicable only in case the validity of such documents has expired on or after February 1 this year. The decision was made by the state Cabinet at a meeting on November 11 and accordingly, the notification has been issued on Friday,” said an official of the department.

In north Bengal, particularly in districts such as Siliguri, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar, transporters associated with the tourism sector had time and again said that their earnings had sharply declined with the drop in the flow of tourists.

“Even now (during Unlock), only a handful of tourists are visiting the hills. It is good that the state government has realised the (gravity of) situation and extended the last date for renewal of documents. Also, if this exemption was not allowed, each transporter would have had to bear a huge financial burden,” said Jayanta Majumdar, a transporter based in Siliguri.