JOIN USAutomated process for issue of vehicle fitness certificates soon
Issuance of fitness certificates for ‘in use’ vehicles will become automated and more scientific as the country’s second Automated Vehicle Inspection and Certification Centre will start operations at Nelamangala on the outskirts of Bengaluru in a couple of months.
As per the Motor Vehicles Act, it is mandatory for the ‘in use’ transport vehicles to renew their fitness certificate (FC) every year. New vehicles will be issued fitness certificates for a period of two years, after which they should get the FC renewed annually. At present, the fitness test of ‘in use’ transport vehicles such as Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMV) and Light Motor Vehicles (LMV) is being carried out in a non-mechanised and completely visual manner by officials at the offices of the jurisdictional Regional Transport Officer (RTO) across the State.
This unscientific and manual method of assessing the fitness of a vehicle will soon cease to exist in Bengaluru and Mysuru as it will shortly be replaced by a new, reliable process at the automated inspection and certification centres. ‘In use’ vehicles will be tested in the automated centres on six parameters including ignition, engine, brake, sideslip and headlight, among others.
The first such Union Government-funded centre in the State, which is second only to the one in operation under Nashik RTO limits in Maharashtra, will be opened at Nelamangala in Bengaluru Rural district in a few months. Civil works, including construction of necessary buildings, have been completed. Only the installation of machines is remaining, which will commence in February, Commissioner of Transport and Road Safety Ramegowda told Deccan Herald.
Considering the worsening road-accident scenario and environment pollution, the Union ministry of Road Transport and Highways has also chosen the State, among 10 others, to set up automated inspection and certification centres.
Accordingly, the State government provided land measuring five acre and the cost of installation of machines and building construction will be borne by the Centre. The Union government will hand over the centre coming up at Nelamangala to the State after running it for one year, said Ramegowda.
Beside the Union Government-sanctioned centre at Nelamangala, the State is also setting up a similar centre in Mysuru at its own cost. This centre will be operational in January 2017. Considering the large number of commercial vehicles plying on the roads, priority was given to Bengaluru and Mysuru to setup automated inspection and certification centres, Ramegowda added.
After Bengaluru and Mysuru, similar centres will also be set up at Mangaluru and Kalaburagi where land has already been acquired for the project and works will commence soon.
The Transport department has plans to set up such mini-centres in all the districts in the future.