Hyderabad, April 2 (IANS) With Telangana levying motor vehicle (MV) tax on all vehicles entering the state from Andhra Pradesh, the latter on Thursday lodged a complaint with E.S.L. Narasimhan, the governor for both the states.
Andhra Pradesh’s Transport Minister Sidda Raghava Rao met the governor and explained to him the difficulties being faced by the transporters in the state.
The governor told the minister that he would get back on the issue after discussing the matter with the Telangana government.
Rao later told reporters that since Hyderabad is the common capital, it is improper on part of Telangana to levy the tax. He said the Telangana government was acting in a manner causing hardships to Telugu people.
The transport minister said if the issue was not resolved, the state government would take it up with the Centre.
Several bus operators from Andhra Pradesh have suspended their services to Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana to protest the Telangana government decision to levy the entry tax.
The Telangana government started collecting entry tax from Wednesday. The authorities collected Rs.1 crore as tax at 15 state border checkpoints.
Three operators from Andhra challenged the collection of the tax in the Hyderabad High Court.
The court on Wednesday refused to stay collection of the MV tax per se, but in a relief to the petitioners, directed the Telangana government to accept their indemnity bond for the tax till it pronounces interim orders on April 7.
The court also asked Telangana to file a counter-affidavit.
The movement of passengers and commodities from Andhra to Telangana was hit as many private operators suspended their services. Some operators paid temporary tax for a week as they hope for relief from the court.
Telangana has categorized vehicles coming from Andhra Pradesh as other state vehicles and started collecting entry tax on them.
Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated last year to form a separate Telangana state.
Under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, Hyderabad has been declared as common capital for a period not exceeding 10 years or till Andhra Pradesh develops its own state capital.