Bengal transport department now allowed vehicles to undergo fitness tests at any of the regional transport authorities (RTA) irrespective of their registering authorities (RAs).
Kolkata: Bengal transport department now allowed vehicles to undergo fitness tests at any of the regional transport authorities (RTA) irrespective of their registering authorities (RAs). Since, “methods, procedures, standards and specifications of fitness testing for a class of vehicle is same everywhere, the tests can be done anywhere,” said the notification issued by transport secretary Rajesh Kumar Sinha.
“Once a vehicle clears the fitness tests, it will be immediately uploaded in the Vahan portal. So, the CF can be accessed by any RTA and vehicle owner from anywhere. Thus, the necessity of undergoing fitness tests only with the registering authority is unnecessary,” said a transport department officer.
The transport department felt the necessity to bring about this reform when they found a few vehicles coming for physical inspection. “One of the reasons was their business commitments. A vehicle plying between Barasat and Salt Lake may find it difficult to get his fitness test done at his RA at Beltala PVD. He can get it done at Salt Lake RTO,” said an officer.
The transport department is all set to carry out CF through automated testing centres being developed at Behala and Nilgunge (Barrackpore), where fitness test of a vehicle will be done without any intervention of motor vehicle inspector. “Earlier, we didn’t have a choice but to go to the RA for the test. Now, I would not need to waste the entire day,” said Tito Saha, secretary, Suburban Bus Services.
However, another notification relating to CF has raised controversy. The Transport directorate notified that each and every vehicle must maintain a garage register that will be verified by motor vehicles inspector (non-technical) before issuing the final CF by the RTA. “Majority buses are parked on carriageways as there is a serious dearth of garage space in Kolkata and Howrah. A bus is registered against the address of its owner, but is parked on an open field or roadside. So, garage register is non-existent,” said Tapan Banerjee of Joint Council of Bus Syndicates.
However, an officer said, “Under section 193 (1) of West Bengal Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, every transport (commercial) vehicle must maintain garage space and vehicles must not be left on public thoroughfares or places.”
