Koraput: The issue of daily revenue losses amounting to crores in Odisha Government’s Transport Department has become a topic of serious discussion among intellectual circles. Earlier, across the country including Odisha, unified check gates were set up at state borders for sales, transport, and RMS departments. However, after the implementation of GST, these gates were deemed unnecessary and were shut down.
Odisha was the first state in India to start closing these gates from 2015, completing the process by 2017. Neighboring states like Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh also removed their border check gates. However, within months, Andhra Pradesh reopened these centers under new names like “Help Centers.” Now even Chhattisgarh has resumed similar operations. But Odisha has not taken any such steps.
As a result, hundreds of vehicles from neighboring states are entering Odisha without permits, operating freely and causing massive revenue loss to the Transport Department.
The lack of adequate staff in the department has made it impossible to thoroughly inspect vehicles registered in other states. Ironically, Odisha-registered vehicles are more likely to be stopped and inspected, while vehicles from other states roam unchecked.
In Koraput, for example, many personal white number plate four-wheelers are being used illegally as taxis, while yellow number plate commercial taxis remain underutilized. This misuse is widespread, resulting in huge revenue loss for the government.
In some cases, privately registered vehicles are being used for newspaper distribution or railway staff duty on a hired basis, especially within Koraput district.
Moreover, buses from neighboring Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh are entering and exiting unrestricted, compounding the government’s revenue losses.
Intellectuals suggest that if Odisha reopens assistance centers at its borders like its neighboring states, and deputes RTO and JMVI officials, the state could recover crores in monthly revenue that are currently being lost.