BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED :12.02.2026 CORAM THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE KRISHNAN RAMASAMY A.Nazar ... 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 1^st respondent to permit the petitioners to operate the Mini Bus bearing Registration No.TN 59 Q 2326 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

ORDER

This writ petition has been filed seeking a direction to the 1^st respondent to permit the petitioner to operate the Mini Bus bearing Registration No.TN 59 Q 2326, 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 59 Q 2326 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 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.

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, Uzh