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Maharashtra Discontinues Late Fine For Vehicles' Fitness Certificates

Maharashtra government has notified the Bombay High Court that late fines for the renewal of fitness certificates for taxis, auto rickshaws and other vehicles will be withdrawn from April 2017.
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By car&bike Team

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1 mins read

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Published on April 14, 2017

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Highlights

  • A petition claimed RTOs were issuing fitness certificates without checks
  • It also alleged RTOs were collecting fines under the head 'Miscellaneous'
  • The government affidavit was filed in response to the petition
Maharashtra will discontinue late fines for renewal of fitness certificates for taxis, auto rickshaws, and other vehicles from this month. The state government informed the Bombay High Court that taxis and auto rickshaws were being charged Rs. 100 while other vehicles were required to pay a fine of Rs. 200 for a delay of 15 days or more in renewal of the vehicles' fitness certificates. Manoj Saunik, Home Department's Principal Secretary (Transport and Ports), filed an affidavit with the court that stated the Maharashtra government will withdraw these fines from April 2017 as per a Government Resolutions revising the fines for renewal of fitness certificates of vehicles.

The affidavit was filed in response to a plea by Srikant Karve, who claimed the state' regional transport offices were issuing fitness certificates to several vehicles without subjecting them to the necessary checks and without following the procedures laid down under Motor Vehicles Act. He also submitted a receipt showing payment of Rs. 400 as miscellaneous charges to back his allegation that Maharashtra RTOs were collecting fines under the head 'Miscellaneous'.

Karve stated that each state RTO clears around 70 vehicles on an average for fitness certificates every day and went on to argue that it was highly improbable so many vehicles every day if mandatory checks were followed.

The Bombay High Court court had earlier stopped some RTOs from issuing fitness certificates due to lack of facilities such as brake test tracks. The court had also asked all RTOs to provide for 250- metre-long tracks to conduct brake tests of the vehicles. The Maharashtra government expressed reluctance citing the shortage of land as the reason. However, the court directed the state to make available the land for the purpose to all the 38 RTOs in the state. Saunik's affidavit also mentioned that various RTOs have received grants for the acquisition of land for brake-test tracks. It also added that the tracks have already been provided in Panvel, Malegaon, and Nagpur.

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Last Updated on April 14, 2017


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