The Bengal transport department has extended till September 30 the time to pay road taxes and other charges on commercial vehicles without penalty.

A notification issued by the transport department on July 24 said no penalty would be levied on road tax and other charges on any vehicle other than stage carriages if the payment was made before September 30. The department also extended the validity of driving licenses, fitness certificates and permits of vehicles till the end of July.

Passengers queue up to board a bus at Esplanade on Monday. Picture by Sanat Kr Sinha

“According to the order, if any of these documents had expired on or after February 1, those would be deemed to be valid till July 31,” said a transporter in Siliguri.

The extension of the date from June 30 to September 30 has come as a relief for transporters in north Bengal, especially the owners of commercial light vehicles. This is because thousands of such vehicles have been off the road for almost four months because of the coronavirus-induced lockdown and non-arrival of tourists.