Bhubaneswar: Transport department of Odisha Thursday slapped a penalty of more than Rs 2.33 lakh against a school bus (Registration No-OR 02 BN 4550) for flouting road safety norms, as per provisions envisaged in the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019.
A team of regional transport office (RTO)-II officials has seized the vehicle during an inspection drive near Damana Square in Bhubaneswar. The RTO team imposed a fine amount to the tune of Rs 2,33,234 on the bus owner, a source said.
According to a senior official in the team, challan has been issued against the school bus with fine of Rs 500 for general offence, Rs 10,000 for not having valid air and noise pollution certificates and another Rs 10,000 for running the vehicle sans road permit.
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An additional amount of Rs 5,000 for driving without fitness certificate and Rs 2,000 for not having valid insurance was also charged. The RTO team also imposed Rs 2,05,734 on the owner for defaulter in paying Motor Vehicle Tax from March 1, 2020 up to April 3, 2022.
Legal action against the wrongdoer bus owner was taken under a special drive recently initiated by the state government with regard to massive inspection of buses and other light vehicles used for carrying schoolchildren in Odisha, which will continue till April 27.
It is pertinent to mention, the department fined Rs 4 lakh Wednesday against another school bus for flouting the norms in Koraput.
On first day of the inspection drive, the department has fined at least 236 buses including light vehicles for carrying schoolchildren by flouting safety norms. About 173 school buses had no valid fitness certificate and around 85 others had no vehicle permit.
PNN