GUWAHATI: Are you a resident of Mizoram capital Aizawl? If yes, do not buy a car until you have a garage or parking space.
Grappled with constant traffic snarls, Mizoram has finally found a way out, banning the sale of vehicles to any individual who does not own a garage or parking space. A car purchased after August 30 will be viewed illegal if its owner does not possess a garage or parking space.
The Mizoram Government has issued an order banning the sale of vehicles to anyone who doesn’t own parking space. The diktat, which also holds for Government departments, was issued last week by the state’s Transport Department after an assent to the Mizoram Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Rules of 2010.
“People intending to buy new or pre-owned vehicles after August 30 can do so only if they have space to keep them,” Mizoram Transport Secretary P.Lalthlengliana said.
The new rules make officials of the Transport Department to enquire if a person applying for registration of vehicles owns a garage or parking space. Registration will be provided only after confirmation of the applicant’s possession of parking space.
Informing that the new rules will include all kinds of vehicles, the Transport Secretary said, “The Government Gazette in this regard was issued on August 16, but the time has been extended till August 30.” After this date, he said, no one would be allowed to buy vehicles without having garage first.
Lalthlengliana said the rules would be gradually enforced across urban and rural Mizoram.
“Plans are afoot to use high security registration besides transforming the existing driving licence and registration card into smart card,” the Transport Secretary disclosed.
Mizoram has more cars per person than most states in the country.
The Transport Department had from April-July registered 4,515 vehicles in Aizawl alone. Among these, 107 were purchased by various Government departments.