Chhattisgarh 's First Automatic Fitness Testing Center for Vehicles | 04 Jul 2023

Why In News?

According to the information given by Chhattisgarh Public Relations Department on July 3, 2023, Chhattisgarh's first automatic fitness testing center has been prepared in Raipur to check the fitness of vehicles as per the instructions of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. In this center, the fitness of vehicles will be checked by state-of-the-art machines.

Key Points:

• The establishment of this center is a major achievement in the efforts being made by the Transport Department towards reducing road accidents.
• As per the intention of the Chief Minister, continuous efforts are being made by the Transport Department towards modernization of the systems. Various services related to the Transport Department have been made online. Driving license and registration certificate are being delivered at home.
• Taking a step further in this direction, the department is also going to automate the work of fitness inspection of transport vehicles.
• In this regard, Transport Secretary S. Prakash said that now the work of fitness inspection will be done by automatic machine without human intervention.
• Transport Commissioner Dipanshu Kabra said that roller brake test, axle load test, suspension test, side slip test, joint play test, steering gear play test, speedometer test, speed governor test, exhaust gas test, through a machine in the Automated Fitness Center. Headlight test will be done.
• The transport vehicle has to undergo fitness proof inspection every 02 years before the age of 08 years. The transport vehicle which is more than 08 years old has to undergo fitness inspection every year. This rule applies to both passenger and goods vehicles, which are used as commercial vehicles to carry passengers or goods.
• In the past, the work of fitness inspection has been done by the inspector in the RTO office. Fitness certificate is issued after visual inspection by the inspector on the basis of experience. Many times, in such a situation, the vehicle owners were not satisfied with this test.
• If unfit vehicles ply on the road, then there is a possibility of accidents from them. Due to an accident involving a transport vehicle, the loss of life and property is high. Keeping all these facts in mind, a notification has been issued for mandatory fitness of heavy vehicles from April 01, 2024 through automatic fitness centers.
• The scrapping policy has also been brought by the state to give impetus to the automobile sector, under which up to 25 percent tax rebate will be available while buying a new vehicle for scrapping the old vehicle.
• To take advantage of this exemption, first the vehicle will have to be scrapped at the registered vehicle scrapping center after getting it inspected by the Automatic Fitness Center. After scrapping, a certificate of deposit will be given for tax exemption to buy a new vehicle, which will give exemption benefits.
• Apart from this, if the transport vehicle which is more than 15 years old fails in the fitness test of the Automated Fitness Center, then the registration of such vehicle will be canceled.