Bengal incurs loss of about Rs 382 cr, allows over 6L vehicles on road

KOLKATA: The state Transport Department on Monday issued a notification mentioning a one-time partial waiver of additional fees which is otherwise payable for delay in renewal of fitness certificates of vehicles.

The state will incur a loss of Rs 382 crore in allowing over six lakh vehicles to ply on roads.

The waiver has been offered only for three months from April 18, 2022. The vehicle owners are to be charged additional fees of rupees 50 per vehicle every day, if the delay is for less than 30 days.

If delay is equal to or more than 30 days then additional fee Rs 1500 will be charged.

"The Governor is pleased to formulate a scheme "One Time Partial Waiver of Additional Fees payable for delay in respect of renewal of Certificate of Fitness of transport vehicles" for a limited period of three months from the date of issue of this Notification," read the notification.

"We welcome the decision of the State government," said Sudip Dutta, secretary of Pool Cars Owners' Welfare Association (PCOWA).

In January this year, the State Transport department issued a notification stating commercial vehicles registered in Bengal may be produced before any RA (Registering Authorities) within the state for fitness checking.

The respective RA will issue the Certificate of Fitness after observing necessary formalities as per the extant rules.State government is also contemplating setting up automated inspection and certificate centres (I & C Centres) for fitness testing of vehicles which will cater to vehicles registered with several RAs at one place.