Madras High Court
V.St.Pl.Chidhambaram vs The District Collector Cum Regional ... on 12 February, 2026
Author: Krishnan Ramasamy
Bench: Krishnan Ramasamy
W.P.(MD)No.3898 of 2026
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT
DATED :12.02.2026
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE KRISHNAN RAMASAMY
W.P.(MD)No.3898 of 2026
V.ST.PL.Chidhambaram ... Petitioner
Vs
1. The District Collector Cum Regional Transport Authority,
Madurai District,
Madurai-625 020.
2. Regional Transport Officer,,
Regional Transport Office (Central),
Madurai (Centre). ... Respondents
PRAYER:-Writ Petition, filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of
India, praying this court to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the 1st
respondent to permit the petitioners to operate the Mini Bus bearing
Registration No.TN 58E 8812 to enter into the Periyar bus stand from
crime branch a distance of 0.5 kms as per clause VII of the new mini bus
scheme in G.O.No.198 of 2025 HOME (Transport-I) Department dated
28.04.2025 and to include the Silaiman pirivu old Ramanathapuram road
as starting point, by considering the petitioner's application dated
09.01.2026.
For Petitioner :Mr.A.K.H.M.Mohamed Abdul Rasiq
For Respondents :Mr.K.Balasubramani
Special Government Pleader
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W.P.(MD)No.3898 of 2026
ORDER
This writ petition has been filed seeking a direction to the 1st respondent to permit the petitioner to operate the Mini Bus bearing Registration No.TN 58E 8812 , to enter into the Periyar bus stand from crime branch a distance of 0.5 kms as per clause VII of the new mini bus scheme in G.O.No.198 of 2025 HOME (Transport-I) Department dated 28.04.2025 and to include the Silaiman pirivu old Ramanathapuram road as starting point, by considering the petitioner application dated 09.01.2026.
2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Special Government Advocate appearing for the official respondents. By consent of both sides, the writ petition itself is taken up for final disposal at the stage of admission itself.
3. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would submit that the respondents issued permit to the petitioner to operate a Mini bus bearing Registration No. TN 58E 8812 plying on the route Old Ramanathapuram Road to Crime Branch covering a total distance of 24 kms. The Crime Branch is the petitioner terminus, which is 0.5 km away 2/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ( Uploaded on: 13/02/2026 03:53:53 pm ) W.P.(MD)No.3898 of 2026 from the Periyar Bus stand. He further submits that the passengers, who are boarding in the petitioner's bus, have to go to Periyar bus stand by way of walk or getting other transport. It is very difficult to the travelling public those who are coming from the rural areas are dropped at Crime Branch. He further submitted that other mini buses are granted permission to operate their buses upto Periyar Bus stand. Therefore, the petitioner made a representation on 09.01.2026 to the first respondent, seeking permission to enter into Periyar Bus stand from Crime Branch, in terms of G.O.Ms.No.198, Home (Transport – I) Department, dated 28.04.2025. Since no orders have been passed on the said representation, the petitioner has filed this Writ Petition.
4. The learned Government Advocate appearing for the respondents, after taking instructions, would submit that they would consider the representation of the petitioner dated 09.01.2026, by taking into consideration of G.O.Ms.No.198, Home (Transport – I) Department, dated 28.04.2025.
5. I have given careful consideration for the submissions made by both sides and perused the materials available on record. 3/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ( Uploaded on: 13/02/2026 03:53:53 pm ) W.P.(MD)No.3898 of 2026
6. On a perusal of the G.O.Ms.No.198, Home (Transport – I) Department, dated 28.04.2025, it is crystal clear that in the event if the bus stop falls within 1 km from the terminal points such as Government Hospital, School, College, Railway Station, etc., the respondents shall consider the request of the permit holders to extend the additional distance of upto 1 km in the served area. The said Clause VII of the said G.O.Ms.No.198, Home (Transport – I) Department, dated 28.04.2025 reads as follows:
“(VII) Extension to cater to institutions:
Notwithstanding points (i) to (vi) above, if any adjoining area within the next 1 km from the terminal point happens to be a Government Hospital Higher Secondary School, College, Railway station, Uzhavarsandhai, Agricultural regulatory market, Collectorate and Taluk Office, places of famous religious worship or a place just before a bus stand and the served route happens to exceed the maximum permitted route length, then the Regional Transport Authority, in consultation with other stakeholders, namely, State Transport Undertakings, Local Bodies, Regional Transport Officer, etc., can permit the additional distance of up to 1 km in the served area so as to enable the passengers to reach the above mentioned needy places. This consideration shall not apply to other places apart from the above mentioned places.” 4/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ( Uploaded on: 13/02/2026 03:53:53 pm ) W.P.(MD)No.3898 of 2026
7. In the present case, there is no dispute on this aspect, since the petitioner's terminal point is Crime Branch, which is 0.5 km away from the Periyar Bus Stand. The petitioner has also made a representation on 09.01.2026, seeking permission to enter into the Periyar Bus Stand. This Court is of the view that the operating of buses as well as mini buses are only to make convenient to the passengers to travel from one place to another place. Therefore, I do not find any impediment for the respondents to permit the petitioner to enter into the Periyar Bus stand, which will be more convenient for the passengers.
8. In view of the above, the first respondent is directed to consider the representation of the petitioner dated 09.01.2026 and permit the petitioner's Mini bus bearing Registration No. TN 58E 8812 to enter into Periyar Bus stand from Crime Branch.
9. With the above direction, this Writ Petition is disposed of. There shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed.
12.02.2026
NCC :Yes/No
Index :Yes/No
RR
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W.P.(MD)No.3898 of 2026
To
1. The District Collector Cum Regional Transport Authority, Madurai District, Madurai-625 020.
2. Regional Transport Officer,, Regional Transport Office (Central), Madurai (Centre).
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RR W.P.(MD)No.3898 of 2026 12.02.2026 7/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ( Uploaded on: 13/02/2026 03:53:53 pm )