RTO okays 140 vehicles in a day

Prasad Kulkarni , TNN, Oct 28, 2010

PUNE: The Regional Transport Office of Pune is on a high efficiency mode. In response to a Right to Information (RTI) application, the transport body has said that it has, on at least one occasion, issued fitness certificates to at least 140 vehicles on a day during an eight-hour shift. However, Shrikant Karve, an employee with a transport firm who sought the information, said that practically it is an impossible task. "There are more than 10 types of tests that need to be carried out before passing a vehicle. It is simply beyond understanding that how so many vehicles pass the test in such a limited time," said Karve.

Fitness certificates are mandatory for heavy vehicles, including public transport buses, and auto rickshaws. Every vehicle in these categories needs to obtain such a certificate each year after two years of purchase. Fitness parameters include checking of the braking system, leakages, adherence to pollution norms, steering system, etc.

The RTO's response shows that as many as 104 rickshaws were given the certificates in a single day on July 12 this year. On the same day, 14 buses and 26 trucks were also shown a green signal. "If one has to carry out all the tests properly it will take at least 15 minutes for each vehicle to be okayed. Which means 35 hours to test 140 vehicles! But officials at the RTO carry out these tests in a matter of eight hours. It is next to impossible," Karve said, claming that many of the vehicles get passed without tests.

Karve alleged that agents working in the RTO fool the customers in the name of providing fitness certificates. Such a practice has only added to the illegal activities at the RTO. Karve has registered a complaint with the state secretary for transport.

Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Chandrakant Kharatmal refuted Karve's observations. "All tests prescribed in the law are carried out. Besides, no illegal practices take place in the RTO. If a case is brought to our notice, we will take appropriate action against the guilty," he said.

On Karve's RTI application, Kharatmal said, "Once we had passed 750 rickshaws in a day. This could be done because we deployed additional staff. Besides, some are sample tests so the time required is less."