Strict action ordered over RTO fitness certificate lapses

Pune -The state transport department Friday ordered a detailed inquiry into serious irregularities in the issuance of vehicle fitness certificates under form 38A of the Motor Vehicles Act

Pune -

The state transport department Friday ordered a detailed inquiry into serious irregularities in the issuance of vehicle fitness certificates under form 38A of the Motor Vehicles Act. Transport minister Pratap Sarnaik directed the transport commissioner to submit the inquiry report to the state government without delay and initiate strict action against officials found responsible for violating the prescribed rules.

The latest action comes amid the state government’s broader crackdown on alleged corruption in the regional transport office (RTO) system. During the ongoing monsoon session of the state legislature, the government has already constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to probe allegations involving serving and retired transport officials. The department has now extended its focus to the vehicle fitness certification process, indicating a zero-tolerance approach towards procedural violations that could compromise road safety.

According to the department, a committee headed by the joint transport commissioner was constituted on March 5, 2026 to examine irregularities in the issuance of vehicle fitness certificates under form 38A. The committee’s investigation reportedly uncovered multiple violations of statutory procedures. In several cases, the final fitness certificate was found to have been issued beyond the mandatory 15-day period after issuance of form 38A by the automated testing station (ATS). In some cases, form 38 was found to have been issued by transport offices other than the vehicle’s original registering authority in Maharashtra. The committee further reported serious safety-related lapses. Some nationally permitted transport vehicles were found to have been granted fitness certificates despite not being equipped with mandatory vehicle location tracking devices (VLTDs). Similarly, passenger vehicles manufactured after January 1, 2019—except motorcycles and autorickshaws—were found to have been issued fitness certificates without the compulsory VLTD installation. In other cases, transport vehicles were found to have received fitness certification despite lacking mandatory speed limiting devices. A significant number of such irregularities were identified at transport offices in Panvel, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Vashi, Thane, Andheri, Wadala, Nagpur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Following these findings, the transport minister instructed the transport commissioner to immediately submit the committee’s report to the government and ensure that officials found guilty face action in accordance with the law.

Addressing the issue, Sarnaik said, “A vehicle fitness inspection is not merely a paperwork exercise but a critical process directly linked to the safety of passengers and every road user. Issuing fitness certificates to unfit vehicles by bypassing mandatory rules is a grave offence that cannot be tolerated. Anyone found guilty during the inquiry, irrespective of their position, will face stringent action under the law.” The government will not compromise on citizens’ safety under any circumstances; he said.

The minister further said that no system which allows rules to be flouted in the name of vehicle fitness and puts public lives at risk will be accepted. He emphasised that the transport department remains committed to ensuring safe vehicles, transparent inspection procedures and accountable administration, and said that these principles will form the foundation of future reforms in the state’s vehicle fitness certification process.

The transport department also decided to strengthen the functioning of private automated testing stations. The government has ordered the preparation of a uniform and stringent standard operating procedure (SOP) for all ATSs across Maharashtra. The SOP will include the deployment of motor vehicle inspectors at private ATSs; along with other measures aimed at improving transparency, accountability and regulatory oversight in vehicle fitness inspections.