Owners of vehicles without fitness nod to face action

Failing to renew their fitness certificates will cost owners of public transport and commercial vehicles such as taxis, autos, buses, trucks and school buses dearly from April 15.

Failing to renew their fitness certificates will cost owners of public transport and commercial vehicles such as taxis, autos, buses, trucks and school buses dearly from April 15.

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The transport authority has decided to either suspend their vehicle permits for a day or impose a fine of Rs. 100 (as compounding fees) for each day of delayed. However, the permit can be suspended for a maximum of 10 days and the fine can be levied up to Rs. 1,000. This rule will come into force in two weeks.

This move is expected to act as deterrent to unfit, ill-maintained or non-roadworthy vehicles plying illegally on roads after their fitness certificates have expired. The decision is applicable across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and will be effective from mid-April.

A senior RTO official said, “We are appealing to all vehicle owners to renew their fitness certificates before the expiry date or they will have to face the action.”

In meeting held on March 16 chaired by Shailesh Kumar Sharma, transport secretary of the state, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA) endorsed the this decision, in view of the the growing number of road accidents.

To renewal a certificate, owners can approach the RTO 15 days before it expires. “If a vehicle without a fitness certificate meets with an accident, insurance companies can deny them a claim,” said an RTO official.