(1) Notwithstanding anything contained elsewhere in this Act, if the competent authority is of the opinion
that no further issuance of a route permit for the operation of another public motor vehicle on a particular route is desirable in view of the pressure of the flow of passengers and the number of public motor vehicles already plying
on that route to operate such transport service or that, in view of pollution or any other reason, any further issuance of route permit for any public motor  vehicle would be prejudicial to public interest, the authority may, in
consultation with the management committee, ⊗ refuse to issue a route permit.
(2) Bearing in mind the safety of public motor vehicles operating the transport service on a medium route and a long route and of the passengers traveling by such vehicles as well as the employees working therein, the
standards of the public motor vehicles providing the transport service on  such routes shall be as prescribed. The competent authority may refuse to issue a route permit to any public motor vehicle which does not meet the
prescribed standards to operate the transport service on such routes.