Team Herald
MARGAO: In a major relief to commercial transport vehicles, the renewal of fitness certificate which had to be obtained every year has been changed to two years for vehicles up to eight years old.
Further, a new transport vehicle sold as fully built vehicle will not require any fitness certificate at the time of registration and such vehicle shall be deemed to be having a certificate of fitness for a period of two years from the date of registration.
Commercial transport operators welcomed the amendment to the Motor Vehicles Rules 1989. “Every year we have to spend two to three days getting our vehicles passed. In addition to that we have to pay money to get the work done”, said a tourist taxi operator.
Interestingly, a new clause, 138 B, is added to the MV rules 138 B which states that all goods carriage vehicles shall carry goods in a closed body of the vehicle or container. This clause makes it necessary for all goods carriers, including coal trucks, trucks carrying iron ore and other cargo items to be transported in a closed body truck.
However, it further states “Provided that if it is necessary to carry goods in open bodies, goods shall be covered by using appropriate covers like tarpaulin or any other suitable material. Provided, further that the goods of indivisible nature, not capable of being carried in a closed body or being covered as per the first proviso, may be carried without cover”. Observers questioned whether the provision will allow coal trucks and iron ore trucks to continue to transport by just covering with tarpaulin.
Transport Department official informed that in the view of road safety all the trucks have to be covered because the dust should not disturb people’s eyes. “Mining trucks also come under the definition. But the clause (138 B) refers to trucks carrying cargo. The height of the truck has to be within the dimensions that are already approved. Mineral ore trucks have to ensure that dust doesn’t go into people’s eyes. All trucks have to be suitably covered”, informed the officer.
