CHENNAI: Curtailing the powers of state transport authorities, the Centre is drafting new motor vehicle rules that would empower automobile manufacturers to set up vehicle testing stations to issue fitness certificates (FC). Once the amended rules come into effect, in a few months, autorickshaw or Uber cab drivers will no longer need to drive the vehicles to Regional Transport Offices (RTO) to renew their FC.
“The motor vehicle inspector will have to renew the FC of a transport vehicle once it is cleared by automatic testing stations for transportation. The RTOs will no longer have the powers to deny FC for any vehicle,” said Transport department sources.
The Central Motor Vehicles rules mandate that FC, issued by RTOs, should be renewed once in two years for vehicles up to eight years of age. For those vehicles older than eight years, fitness certificate should be renewed once a year.
The rules are applicable to all transport vehicles including government and private buses, lorries, mini-buses, autorickshaws, maxi-cabs, motor-cabs, education institution buses, ambulances and fire-fighting tenders. As per government data, as on April 1, 2018, TN has 12,28,550 transport vehicles.
Transport officials pointed out that vehicle owners will be forced to accept all demands made by testing stations (run by vehicle manufacturers), including replacement of costly spare-parts, to get FC. “Any additional maintenance suggested by testing stations has to carried out or else motorists will not get the FC,” said a vehicle inspector.
However, a section of truckers have hailed the move as ‘bold initiative’ as it would eliminate the ‘inspector raj’ thereby make the process ‘corruption-free’.
Tamil Nadu Lorry Owners Federation (TNLOF) president R Sukumar said regardless of the vehicle’s fitness condition, a bribe ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000, is demanded at RTOs for getting fitness certificate. “Now we will pay some nominal fee at testing agencies. A person, who owns five to six trucks, will now save up to Rs 10,000 per year which was so far paid towards bribes,” he added. Last month, the Centre amended 93 clauses in MV Act, which deal with penalties, registration and National Transport Policy. The penalty provisions, which do not require amendment to the Central rules, have been extended across India from September 1. However, they are yet to be implemented in many states.
To implement the other amended clauses pertaining to vehicle registration, fitness certificate, and vehicle manufacturing, the Centre has constituted six committees comprising officials from the Transport Ministry, Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) and National Informatics Centre (NIC), as also transport secretaries and transport commissioners of all States for drafting the amendments to the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989.
The State transport officials has been entrusted with the responsibility of drafting the rules for Section 39 and 40 of the MV Act, which deals with manufacturing and maintenance of motor vehicles. “Rules for issuing accreditation for automatic testing stations in the States are being drafted. Besides, tariff and other regulations for cab aggregators like OLA and UBER are also being finalised,” said official sources. The six committees will draft the rules for the MV Act. The rules are likely to be notified by the end of November or December.
Central rules being drafted for following