(1) No goods shall be carried on the top deck of a double decked stage carriage.
(2) No goods liable to foul the interior of the vehicle or to render it insanitary shall be carried at any time in any stage carriage or contract carriage.
(3) The Regional Transport Authority may specify in any permit the goods which shall not be carried in a stage carriage or a contract carriage or the conditions subject to which certain classes of goods may be so carried.
(4) Subject to the provisions of sub-rule (3), goods may be carried in a stage carriage at any time in accordance with the conditions specified in the permit provided that the obligation of the holder to carry passengers in accordance with the terms of the permit is discharged.
(5) Where goods are carried in a stage carriage in addition to passengers, the goods shall be of such a nature and shall be so packed and secured on the vehicles that no passenger, such number of seats as may be specified in the permit shall be kept free and unimpeded for the use of passengers and access to the entrance to and exit from the vehicle shall be unobstructed.
(6) The weight in kilograms of goods carried on a stage carriage shall not exceed (N-X) x 68 where in relation to a single decked stage carriage or to the lower deck of a double decked stage carriage. N is the registered passenger seating capacity of the vehicle, and X is the number of passengers carried on the vehicle or the number of passengers for whom seats are kept free and unimpeded by goods, whichever is greater.
(7) Where the holder of a stage carriage permit uses vehicle authorised by the permit for the carriage of goods to detriment of the public convenience, by failing there by to meet the demand for passenger transport, the Regional Transport Authority, may after giving the holder of the permit an opportunity of being heard, declare that a breach The Jharkhand Motor Vehicles Rules, 2001 79 of the conditions of the permit has occurred and thereafter, proceed under the provisions of Section 86 of the Act.
(8) The Regional Transport Authority shall not authorise the use of a contract carriage for the carriage of goods save for (a) special reasons in particular occasions and subject to conditions and restriction to be specified in the permit, or (b) the carriage of the personal, office or household effects of a hirer if so authorised by the permit but not the carriage of general merchandise.
(9) Notwithstanding anything mentioned in sub-rule (8) the Regional Transport Authority may, subject to such conditions as it may think fit to impose, authorise the carriage of goods in any contract carriage, in addition to or to the exclusion of passengers:
Provided that the weight in kilograms of goods so carried shall not exceed (N-X) x 68, where N is the registered passenger seating capacity of the vehicle and X is the number of passengers actually carried in the vehicle.