CHENNAI: Though the Centre’s deadline of April 1, 2023 is approaching, the proposal to set up an automatic testing track to issue fitness certificates for heavy vehicles remains a non-starter in Tamil Nadu.
This is because the transport department is yet to find suitable technology, sources said. Besides, the proposal to set up a computerised testing track for issuing driving licence is yet to be implemented.
The existing procedure of manual inspection by officials leads to malpractices at road transport offices (RTOs). To eliminate manual interventions, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways last year ordered that fitness tests are done only at an Automated Testing Station (ATS).
Following this, the transport department last year identified 11 locations to set up ATC for heavy vehicles. But the proposal remains only on paper. The automatic testing track is essential not only for issuing FC, but also for scrapping heavy vehicles. TN has six lakh trucks and 70,000 buses.
“The State is yet to issue a notification with the procedure for scrapping of heavy vehicles. An automatic testing track is needed to accurately study the condition of heavy vehicles so a decision can be taken on scrapping them. Implementation of the scrapping policy too depends on the automatic testing track,” said an office bearer from a truckers’ association.
In 2018, the first computerised electronic driving testing track for cars was set up at the Karur RTO. Later, a few more RTOs adopted the technology. But due to opposition from a section of motorists, officials returned to the manual method.
As per official data, driving testing tracks have been set up in 31 RTOs and 5 unit offices. Official sources said CCTV cameras are to be installed on driving testing tracks to record the conduct of tests for issuing licences.
A transport official said, “Automatic testing tracks were inspected in Dehradun last year, and the technology used at new testing stations in neighbouring states will be studied. The work will be done before the deadline.”