Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government is set to intensify the drive against vehicles plying without valid insurance and other mandatory documents.
Voicing concern over many vehicles running on roads without valid insurance, Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena has directed the officials concerned to strictly enforce motor vehicle rules.
According to official data, the state has 1,01,41,951 registered vehicles, of which only 35,68,318 have valid insurance, while 65,73,633 are without valid insurance.
As part of the enforcement drive, vehicles passing through toll gates will be subjected to automatic checks of insurance, fitness, pollution and other mandatory documents through the e-detection system.
Vehicles found without valid documents will be issued e-challans immediately, while habitual offenders may face cancellation of registration and seizure of their vehicles, officials said.
The department will also step up enforcement and conduct awareness drives through Regional Transport Offices (RTOs), officials said.
Jena stressed the importance of valid insurance in ensuring compensation, as far as possible, to victims of road accidents, and said uninsured vehicles pose a risk to their owners as well as other road users.
The department also cited the Supreme Court’s recent observation that vehicles without valid insurance should not be supplied petrol or diesel, and that the Centre should consider introducing the measure initially as a pilot project.
The authorities have urged vehicle owners to immediately renew their insurance, pollution certificates and other mandatory documents to avoid legal action.