Transport officers asked to seize vehicles plying without fitness papers

Bhubaneswar : The Odisha government has directed the transport authorities to seize vehicles, which are plying on roads without valid fitness certificates, and file cases.

Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur has issued a circular, asking officers to take action against owners of vehicles which are being operated without valid fitness and registration certificates, an official statement said on Tuesday. The directions have been issued to not only impose fines but also to seize such vehicles and file cases as per the law, it said.

All deputy transport commissioners and regional transport officers (RTOs) have been instructed to intensify the process for inspection of fitness and registration certificates throughout the State. According to the Central Motor Vehicles Act 1988, transport vehicles must have valid registration and fitness certificates, and for non-transport vehicles to have valid registration documents.

Despite repeated awareness campaigns, some vehicle owners have been found violating these norms and such vehicles have been involved in several accidents, the statement said.Moreover, insurance companies do not compensate for accidents involving vehicles without valid fitness and registration certificates, it said.

“Therefore, it has been decided to strictly control such vehicles and take firm action against lawbreakers,” the statement said.The RTOs will also request toll plaza authorities in their jurisdiction to restrict the movement of such vehicles.

Thakur said a strict enforcement exercise will be undertaken across the State for violations of the Motor Vehicles Act. No negligence regarding student safety will be tolerated, he said. The Transport Commissioner instructed the RTOs to take legal action against the heads of educational institutions if school authorities are using vehicles without valid fitness certificates and other required documents for the transportation of students.He urged all vehicle owners to strictly adhere to the Motor Vehicles Act to avoid facing such actions.

Earlier, on July 21, the State Transport Authority had asked the RTOs to ensure strict enforcement of fire safety regulations in school buses.Amitabh Thakur had issued a circular to all RTOs in this regard. Thakur said school buses must have a fire detection alarm system (FDAS), fire detection suppression system (FDSS) and fire alarm protection system (FAPS). These systems are crucial for preventing and handling fire incidents, ensuring the safety of students traveling by bus.

Compliance with these fire safety norms as per provisions of the Central Motor Vehicle Act, 1989, is mandatory for all school buses, he said.

To ensure proper implementation, the State Transport Authority had decided to increase the scope of these measures. Strict monitoring will be conducted on the fire safety arrangements of school buses.