Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, August 16: Nearly 75 per cent of the 10-year-old buses in the state do not have fitness certificates (FCs), which are mandatory for public transport vehicles, according to data available with the state transport authority.
“The database shows that large number of buses might be operating without renewing fitness certificates and without paying tax,” transport commissioner CS Kumar wrote to all regional transport officers (RTOs). He asked the RTOs to examine the latest data available on buses that are more than 10 years old and furnish monthly reports.
The transport commissioner has asked the RTOs to launch a massive enforcement drive and seize buses that do not have valid papers.
Kumar also directed the regional transport officers to conduct massive enforcement drive to prevent clandestine operation of buses without valid fitness certificate, permit and without payment of tax. “The offending vehicles should be seized forthwith,” he
instructed.
The data shows that 10,104 buses that are more than 10 years old are there in the jurisdiction of 33 RTOs across the state. However, only 2,519 buses were jointly inspected by deputy commissioner transport (DCT) and motor vehicles inspector (MVI) for issuing of FC between April 2014 and March 2015.
Out of 1,554 such buses playing in the jurisdiction of Cuttack RTO, only 438 buses were inspected by the team during last fiscal. Only 388 of 1539 buses under Ganjam RTO were inspected while the officials physically inspected 160 of 960 buses in Puri RTO.
Similarly, out of 102 buses, 14 inspected in newly created Bhubaneswar-II RTO while in Gajpati 15 out of 114, 89 buses out of 404 in Phulbani and 27 out of 439 buses of over 10 years old were inspected in the period, it said.
In 2005, following the order of High Court, the state transport commissioner had issued a circular asking the DCT and MVI to inspect the buses that are above 10 years old every month to ensure compliance pollution norms and safety aspects. After joint inspection of those buses, fitness certificate will be renewed by respective MVI.