Archive · 18 Aug 2026
Bengaluru RTO crackdown on out-of-state vehicles nets Rs 3 crore
Some people who live in Bengaluru buy their cars in other states to pay less tax.
The government says this is not fair because they use the roads in Karnataka without paying the local tax.
So the transport office, called the RTO, started a big check.
They sent ten teams to look for cars with number plates from other states.
They found more than 200 such cars and collected about three crore rupees in fines.
Some of the cars were fancy ones like Audi and Mercedes-Benz.
The officials also stopped a bike taxi rider who tried to run away.
The RTO says this will help the state get back money it was losing.
The checks will continue until the end of August.
The Bengaluru Regional Transport Office (RTO) seized more than 200 out-of-state registered vehicles and collected approximately Rs 3 crore in penalties.
The enforcement drive was carried out by 10 separate teams across Bengaluru on the instructions of the Transport Department Commissioner.
Vehicles registered in Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Nagaland, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Haryana were among those targeted.
Seized vehicles included luxury and regular models such as Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Tata Harrier and Mahindra Scorpio, with over 30 vehicles taken from a single location under the KA-03 Kasturi Nagar RTO jurisdiction.
Officials said owners buy vehicles in other states to avoid Karnataka's road tax, causing revenue loss, and the crackdown will continue until the end of August.
- Who
- Bengaluru Regional Transport Office (RTO) officials acting on the instructions of the Transport Department Commissioner
- What
- A crackdown on out-of-state registered vehicles evading Karnataka road tax, with more than 200 vehicles seized and about Rs 3 crore collected in penalties
- When
- Recent operation; enforcement is directed to continue until the end of August
- Where
- Bengaluru, Karnataka
- Why
- Vehicle owners purchase vehicles in other states to avoid paying Karnataka's road tax, resulting in significant revenue loss to the state
- Penalties collected
- Approximately Rs 3 crore
- Vehicles seized
- More than 200
- Enforcement teams
- 10 separate teams across Bengaluru
- States targeted
- Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Nagaland, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Haryana
- Seized vehicle models
- Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Tata Harrier, Mahindra Scorpio
- Largest single-location seizure
- More than 30 vehicles under KA-03 Kasturi Nagar RTO jurisdiction
- Crackdown duration
- Until the end of August