CHENNAI: In a bid to eliminate corruption at Regional Transport Offices (RTO), the transport department has ordered regional transport officers and motor vehicle inspectors not to insist owners to fix new retro-reflective tapes for issuing fitness certificates to commercial vehicles, if the existing tapes are in good condition.
The order dated September 5, issued by Transport Commissioner L Nirmal Raj, stated that vehicle owners should not be forced to purchase new reflective stickers whenever vehicles are produced at RTO for examination. Sources say touts who hold sway at RTOs allegedly get a commission for the retro-reflective stickers sold there.
“The inspecting officer, before issuing the Fitness Certificate (FC), should check if the tape on the vehicle is in good condition and if it is, the existing tape need not be replaced,” added Nirmal Raj. To enhance the visibility of vehicles, in 2019, the Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry made retro-reflective tapes mandatory on all commercial vehicles for obtaining an FC. As per the order which came into effect in August last year, in Tamil Nadu, white tapes are to be affixed in the front, red in the rear and yellow on the two sides.
As of April this year, the State has 13.35 lakh transport vehicles, which include trucks, mini-vans, private and institutional buses, taxis, autorickshaws and others. Every year, more than one lakh new transport vehicles are registered across the RTOs. It cost `5,500 to `6,000 for pasting reflective stickers for a truck and bus.
The transport vehicles goods and passenger carriers the FC is issued for two to eight years and, thereafter, it has to be renewed every year after paying tax. If a transport vehicle meets with an accident, it needs to obtain an FC for resuming operations. Industry sources said it would be impossible for commercial vehicles to get the FC without greasing the palms of touts at RTOs.
“There was no clarity on the Union government’s order whether the reflective tapes should be replaced every year. The life of the tapes has also not been prescribed properly. Taking advantage of the ambiguity, touts and RTOs have been milking truckers and other commercial vehicles for the past few months,” said a trucker owner.