Bhubaneswar: With an aim to reduce road accidents and ensure passenger safety, Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena has directed Odisha’s State Transport Authority (STA) to take strict action against vehicles operating without valid fitness and registration certificates.
Following the directive, Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur has issued a circular mandating a stringent approach against such vehicles, an official release said on Tuesday.
Decisions have been taken to not only impose fines but also to seize these vehicles and file legal cases as per the law.
All Deputy Transport Commissioners and Regional Transport Officers have been instructed to intensify the inspection process of fitness and registration certificates throughout the state.
According to the Central Motor Vehicles Act 1988, Transport vehicles must have valid registration and fitness certificates, and for non-transport vehicles to have valid registration certificates.
Despite repeated awareness campaigns, some vehicle owners have been found violating these norms. Such vehicles have been involved in numerous accidents.
Moreover, insurance companies do not compensate for accidents involving vehicles without valid fitness and registration certificates. Therefore, it has been decided to strictly control such vehicles and take firm action against lawbreakers.
The State Transport Authority has issued a crucial circular consisting of nine points in this regard. As per these guidelines, motor vehicle inspectors shall abstract the Fitness certificate and Registration certificate expired report from VAHAN daily basis. This report contains the owner’s address and mobile number. These vehicles will be closely monitored. If caught without valid fitness and registration certificates, they will be seized under Section 207 of the Motor Vehicles Act 1988, by issuing e-challan.
In addition to this, list containing details of vehicles whose Fitness Certificate and Registration Certificate have expired will be circulated among respective bus/truck/taxi owner associations by the RTOs every month with a request not to allow these vehicles to ply under their association.
The RTOs will also circulate a list containing the Fitness Certificate and Registration Certificate expired to respective the toll plazas functioning under their region every month with a request not to allow those vehicles through the toll plaza.
This information will be shared with industrial organizations as well. They will be informed not to allow such illegal vehicles to operate within their industries.
Transport Commissioner Thakur has announced that stricter action will be enforced statewide for violations of the Motor Vehicle Act. This enforcement will be even more stringent for educational institutions. No negligence regarding student safety will be tolerated.
He instructed the RTOs that if any school authorities are using vehicles without valid fitness certificates and other required documents for the transportation of students, a prosecution report should be filed against the head of the educational institution or school.
Therefore, he has urged all vehicle owners to strictly adhere to the Motor Vehicle Act to avoid facing such actions.
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