CHENNAI: To prevent malpractices in issuing fitness certificates (FC), the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has ordered that FC tests for all heavy vehicles are to only be conducted at automatic testing centres from April 1, 2023. To this effect, the Union government recently passed a gazette notification amending the Central Motor Vehicles (Eighth Amendment) Rules, 2022.
The notification says the revised rules for obtaining FC for heavy goods vehicles and heavy passenger motor vehicles will come into force on April 1 next year. Similarly, for medium goods vehicles, medium passenger motor vehicles and light motor vehicles (transport), the rules will come into effect on June 1, 2024.
“Fitness shall be done mandatorily, only through an automated testing station registered in accordance with Rule 175 for recognition, regulation and control of automated testing station,” the notification said. FCs are valid for two years for motor vehicles that are up to eight years old, and for one year for vehicles older than eight years.
Under the Commissionerate of Transport and Road Safety in the State, 89 RTO offices and 60 unit offices issue driving licences, FC and other vehicle-related documents. Only 31 RTOs and five unit offices have driving testing tracks. At present, vehicle inspectors manually assess vehicles on the testing track and issue driving licences and FCs. “We have proposed to upgrade existing testing tracks, and plan to set up an automatic testing track which will be controlled through software,” said an official.