CHENNAI: Nearly three months after its implementation, the enhanced fee for the grant and renewal of fitness certificates (FC) for heavy vehicles and other categories has been stayed by the Tamil Nadu government as of Wednesday.
The earlier rates charged for issuing fitness certificates to all types of vehicles, including medium and heavy commercial vehicles, prior to November 11 last year will continue for three months from Wednesday. In this regard, a Government Order was issued by the Home (Transport) Department.
The order, issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Dheeraj Kumar, stayed the implementation following representations from the State Lorry Owners Federation, the Chennai Lorry Owners Association and other bodies.
In their representation, the truckers’ associations pointed out that the resale value of trucks older than 20 years had dropped to Rs 1 to 2 lakh. They also threatened to launch a statewide strike in the coming days.
According to the associations, nearly one lakh trucks aged over 15 and 20 years, whose fitness certificates had expired in the past three months, have remained off the roads. There are about six lakh trucks operating in the State.
The enhanced fee came into effect on November 11 last year after the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued a notification amending the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.
As per the notification, the fee for issuing a fitness certificate for heavy goods and passenger vehicles (trucks and buses) older than 15 years was increased from Rs 850 to 12,500. For buses and trucks over 20 years old, the fee was raised to Rs 25,000.
Similarly, for medium commercial vehicles aged above 20 years, the fee was increased from Rs 1,800 to 20,000.
The fee for three-wheelers aged between 15 and 20 years was hiked from Rs 600 to 3,000, while for those aged above 20 years, it was increased from Rs 600 to 7,000. The renewal fee for fitness certificates of two-wheelers older than 15 and 20 years was also raised.