RTO cracks down on vehicles without fitness certificate

MUMBAI: Ahead of the hearing of a case in Bombay high court, the transport department is conducting a fortnight-long drive against vehicles plying without a valid

MUMBAI: Ahead of the hearing of a case in Bombay high court, the transport department is conducting a fortnight-long drive against vehicles plying without a valid fitness certificate.

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A RTO official said the drive will begin next week and continue till October 31. The transport commissioner’s office has directed all regional transport offices to submit the report of the action taken during the drive before November 3, 2016.

Fitness certificate issued from RTO offices after mandatory inspection of vehicles under the commercial transport category are fitted with yellow colour number plates.

Annual fitness renewal is necessary for all transport vehicles such as trucks, tempos, buses and auto rickshaws, while newly registered vehicles are exempted for two years. Hundreds of vehicles go through the process of fitness renewal daily across the state.

While hearing a PIL filed by Pune-based activist Shrikant Karve, the HC has directed the conducting of vehicle fitness tests on 250-metre long tracks. The court has given till October 20 for making necessary provisions for the test tracks.

Prior to it, acting on the HC directive, the transport department has made some procedural changes in the fitness renewal process, besides increasing the fine for plying vehicles without fitness renewal.

“If a vehicle is found plying without a fitness certificate, the owner would have to pay compounding fees of Rs 2000 for the first offence. For the second offence, it would be either Rs 5000,” said the RTO official, requesting anonymity.

Such periodical drives act as a deterrent and force people to renew their vehicle fitness on time, according to RTO sources, which ultimately helps in reducing road accidents and making roads safer.

Last month, transport department reduced fine for late renewal of fitness certificate to Rs 100-200 for 15 days, from earlier Rs 1000 for first 10 days and Rs 100 per day thereafter.

However, some RTO officials think it was a wrong decision and will result in reluctance in renewing fitness certificate on time.

“Drivers or owners of vehicles must be spending more amounts on chewing pan, than the fine for delayed fitness renewal,” said an RTO official. Another official said that it should not have reduced below 50%.