FC renewal to be centralised

New motor vehicle inspection system will come up at Nelamangala

Fresh from the initiative of total computerisation of all 10 RTOs in the City, the department will soon establish a centralised motor vehicle inspection system at Nelamangala. Explaining the new system, Commissioner for Transport and Road Safety, Bhaskar Rao told Deccan Herald that time has come for change.

“The whole point is to do away with the age-old system of visual inspection by motor vehicle inspectors at RTOs. An exclusive centre will be constructed at Nelamangala. At present a long queue of vehicles is visible at RTOs in Jayanagar, Koramangala, Rajajinagar and Indiranagar. Strict enforcement has taken a beating. Technology has to disempower the ‘Inspector Raj’ system that has set in for decades,” Rao reasoned.

At present, a commercial/ transport vehicle has to obtain a FC every third year after manufacture and a personal vehicle every 15 year after manufacture.

The Commissioner added that the system will become more transparent once technology is introduced into issue and renewal of FCs .

“People have accepted a system and are not willing to adapt change.Technology will reduce human dependence and resistance will be there in the beginning. But, the future is what the Department has to look forward to.The entire system has to become more transparent. Only road worthy vehicles must be allowed to ply on highways. Accidents will also reduce as a result of this decision,” explained Rao.

The Automobile Research Association of India (ARAI) will be roped in to provide software and logistics for the centralised system and funds will see their way in from the State and the Centre too, according to the Commissioner.

Computer-aided reports

Once established, the new facility at Nelamangala will have a system to photograph the vehicles due for FC and generate computer-aided reports.

The brakes, noise level and headlights of vehicles will also be tested before a fitness certificate is issued.

Senior officials in the Department said that the move to introduce enforcement of rules has been met with resistance by the inspectors lobby in the past as introduction of technology will render an efficient and transparent Transport Department.

Rao added, “Vehicles are inspected casually. Noice levels from engines, pollution are ignored. Vehicles not road worthy are plying. The result has also been a deterioration in the quality of drivers on roads/highways. Human dependence has to come down by way of technology.

Meanwhile, the Department in its ‘Road Safety Management Initiative’ has recently constructed vehicle inspection pits/ramps  at RTOs in Mangalore, Belgaum, Hassan, Chitradurga and Puttur to inspect vehicles in a scientific manner and issue/renew Fitness Certificates.

Other RTOs across the State will also be provided similar pits in a phased manner.