23. Notwithstanding anything in section 17, any person who immediately before the date of commencement of section 17 has been operating any bus interchange as defined in section 111K of the principal Act (inserted by section 17) shall be entitled to operate the bus interchange without a licence granted under section 111M of the principal Act (inserted by section 17) —
(a)
for a period of 3 months (or such further period as the Minister may determine) from that date; or
(b)
if, before the expiration of that period, that person applies for such a licence to operate the bus interchange, until the licence is granted or his application is refused or withdrawn.