Maintenance of vehicle documents, e-challans through IT portal from October 1

Drivers can use mobile phones while driving only for the purpose of route navigation, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said on Saturday.

While making provisions for maintaining vehicle documents on any online portal established by the Central government, the Ministry said if the driver has the all documents in the digital format, they need not show the physical ones to the concerned authorities.

The ministry has notified amendments to the Central Motor Vehicle Rules facilitating the implementation of electronic enforcement, maintenance of vehicular documents through information technology portals like DigiLocker or m-Parivahan, with effect from October 1 this year.

The new rules come as part of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 that was passed in August 2019.

"It has been provided that the use of handheld communications devices while driving shall solely be used for route navigation in such a manner that shall not disturb the concentration of the driver while driving," a statement from the Ministry said.

“If the details of the documents are found validated through the electronic means by the enforcement officer then physical forms of such documents shall not be demanded for inspection, including in cases where there is an offence made out necessitating seizure of any such documents,” the ministry said.

Details of driving licenses disqualified or revoked by the licensing authority shall be recorded chronologically in the portal and such record shall be reflected on a regular basis on the portal. Thus, the record shall be maintained electronically and further, the driver behavior would be monitored, the statement added.

Provisions have been made for the procedure for Production and Obtaining Certificates in physical as well as electronic form, the validity, issuance of such documents and further the date and time stamping of inspection and identity of the Officer to be recorded, the statement said.

Further upon demanding or inspecting any documents, the date and time stamp of inspection and identity of the police officer in uniform or any other officer authorized by the state government, shall be recorded on the Portal. This would help in unnecessary re-checking or inspection of vehicles and further would remove harassment to the drivers, the Ministry said.