Fitness certificates must for passenger, carrier vehicles: DC

Mincing no words, Deputy Commissioner Harsh Gupta has directed the officials of Regional Transport Authority to act tough against the private passenger vehicles which do not have Fitness Certificate (FC) and impose heavy fine on the offenders.

At a meeting convened here in the backdrop of the Tuesday tragedy that claimed 31 lives on Mysore-Nanjangud Road, he observed that many vehicles which were not fit to be driven, were plying on roads by obtaining FC. The RTA should be careful about such vehicles. Unauthorised vehicles that are plying on roads should be seized and legal action should be initiated within a week.

Gupta said the chassis of vehicles is being compromised on, to increase their seating capacity, and are carrying more number of passengers. Apart from this, the condition of tyres that were shown to be good at the time of obtaining the FC from the RTA, are later replaced with worn out tyres. To check this, a team under Priyanka Mary Francis, an IAS probationer, will be constituted.

The DC said many vehicles that have obtained permission for the contract carriage, are being used as stage carriages. Apart from this, many irregularities were taking place in passenger vehicles. The RTA should hold random checking of vehicles within a week and prepare a list of vehicles that have obtained FC as per the rules. A complete report should be submitted to him within a week. Stern action should be initiated against unauthorised vehicles, he noted.

Gupta directed the Mysore City Corporation and Zilla Panchayat to start traffic engineering cell to maintain vigil on violation of traffic rules. Since the deputy commissioner is empowered to issue directions under the provisions of the Disaster Management Authority. Any officer does not adhere to the directions would be dealt with seriously. The law enforcing agencies have to deal firmly with overloading of sand trucks and slap heavy fine on such drivers. The KSRTC should operate additional services where there is demand. “If the state transport offers small vehicles on rental basis, people will stop renting private vehicles, which are not fit or safe to be on road”, he added.

Mandatory

He suggested the officials of police and transport department to examine all drivers for breath analyser test, before they leave for various destinations during night. Many accidents have taken place due do drunken-driving.

The meeting was attended by Police Commissioner Sunil Agarwal, Superintendent of Police Manish Karbekar, ZP Chief Executive Officer G Satyavathy and Additional Deputy Commissioner Dr C G Betsurmutt.