Proposal for 5 additional vehicle testing centres in Delhi approved

The new centres will save at least ₹3 crore annually in revenue that goes to other states, officials said, adding that the cost varies from ₹500 to ₹1,500 for different categories of permits.

New Delhi: Delhi is set to expand its automated vehicle fitness testing infrastructure as the transport department has planned nine automated testing centres (ATCs) across the capital, officials said.

The expansion is part of a phased effort to create adequate capacity for ATCs in the city.

Currently, Delhi has only one ATS at Jhuljhuli, while the ones at Nand Nagri and Tehkhand are under construction and the Burari manual testing centre got approval to be converted to an ATC last year.

Officials said that the five new ATCs are proposed at Bawana, Ghazipur, Savda Ghevra, Dhichaon Kalan and GTK bus depots.

The expansion is part of a phased effort to create adequate capacity for ATCs in the city. “Recently, approval has been granted for five additional centres. Once operational, Delhi will have a total of nine automated testing centres,” said transport minister, Pankaj Singh.

Delhi has around 0.45 million commercial vehicles that need to be tested every year, of which only about 70,000 can be done at the Jhuljhuli ATC. The rest of the vehicles, including trucks, buses, smaller pick-up vans, all goods vehicles and cabs, get tested outside Delhi, said the department.

With this addition, it is expected that around 0.2-0.25 million vehicles can get tested. The new centres will save at least ₹3 crore annually in revenue that goes to other states, officials said, adding that the cost varies from ₹500 to ₹1,500 for different categories of permits.

ATCs are designed to conduct computerised fitness tests of vehicles without manual intervention, ensuring transparency and uniformity in assessing roadworthiness. Testing of commercial vehicles has already been mandated by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), and officials said the expansion will help meet growing demand and regulatory requirements.

Officials said the new centres are expected to improve compliance levels and support enforcement of vehicle fitness norms. “Fitness testing improves efficiency and helps maintain uniform standards. This is crucial for improving road safety and ensuring compliance with emission regulations,” the official said.

Under existing norms, commercial vehicles are required to undergo fitness tests at automated testing stations for renewal of their fitness certificates.

Officials said that currently, the limited number of facilities has led to capacity constraints, prompting the department to expedite construction. “The addition will reduce waiting time and streamline the fitness certification process,” another official said.

The ministry has also indicated plans to extend mandatory automated fitness testing to private vehicles for renewal of registration. “The expansion is being planned keeping in mind future requirements. Once private vehicles are brought under automated fitness testing, adequate infrastructure will already be in place,” the official said.

Automated centres use sensor-based systems and computerised diagnostics to generate fitness reports, which reduces the possibility of errors. The test results are recorded digitally and integrated into the vehicle registration system.