Despite Centre’s orders, owners fined for delay in vehicle fitness renewal

Strap: State govt yet to issue order on exemption of penalty, says officer; owners cry foul

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Boxes (NOT IN STORY)

–What Central Govt said

The Transport Ministry on March 30 said documents like driving licence and vehicle fitness certificates whose validity may have expired after February 1, 2020, or will expire before June 30, will be considered valid till June 30 this year, keeping in mind the nationwide lock down amid Covid outbreak.

— How the anomaly crept in

Motor Vehicle Inspector Surender Siwach said there was a common online software to deposit renewal fees. It automatically slaps penalty on vehicles that missed the deadline, so district authorities have nothing to do with it, he said.

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Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, May 21

The Regional Transport Office (RTO) is penalising owners across the state for delay in vehicle fitness renewal despite the Centre announcing an extension for the same till June 30 due to the lockdown.

Satish, an auto-rickshaw owner of Rohtak, had to pay penalty of Rs 500 (Rs 50 per day) as he got late by 10 days in getting fitness certificate renewed. Similarly, another auto-rickshaw owner got fitness certificate by paying Rs 1,400 for delay of 28 days. Interesting, the renewal fee is Rs 600 for an auto-rickshaw.

Rajender Dahiya, president of the New Rohtak Auto-rickshaw Kalyan Samiti, said the vehicle fitness renewal for both auto-rickshaws was due during the lockdown. “The penalty is unjustified and violates Central Government orders which validate fitness certificate, all permits and driving licences that expired in lockdown till June 30. Even RTO was not doing fitness test when the certificate expired,” he said.

Siya Ram, chairman of MR School in Mahendragarh district, said the fitness certificate of two of their buses expired in April. “The RTA office told me I had to pay penalty when I went for renewal. I have not got the certificate renewed and am preparing to move court against the penalty,” he said.

An official who did not want to be named said since the state government had not issued any order for exemption, penalty was being charged from vehicle owners. Mahendra Pal, ADC-cum-Secretary, RTA, said he had received some complaints about penalty being slapped during vehicle fitness renewal for the lockdown period. “I have taken up the matter with the headquarters,” he said.