RTOs and ARTOs to conduct fitness test every Saturday till February 29

The Transport department has asked the Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) across the state to arrange for conducting of fitness test on every Saturday till February 29 to ensure vehicle owners get opportunity under the waiver scheme.

The waiver of the penalty on renewals failed by commercial vehicles is effective from January 1 to February 29. In a letter to RTOs and ARTOs, the department stated: “Recently, it has been brought to the knowledge of this office that a huge rush has been observed for conducting fitness tests in the RTO, ARTO offices. We need to accommodate all the vehicles required to get fitness tested within the span of above mentioned period to render the opportunity of the waiver scheme.”

On January 15, pool car owners had approached the Transport department seeking to keep any two Saturdays within February 29 operational for CF renewal work at Kasba and Alipore to reap benefits of the government waiver scheme. They said that they are not getting the time to avail the scheme as on weekdays schools remain open and on weekends when they can go to the RTOs for the scheme, it is closed.

“I am grateful to the department for this step. This will be helpful for commercial vehicles like ours as well as vehicles plied for corporate offices. Many schools have also expressed relief after the department arranged Saturdays for the fitness test,” association secretary Sudip Dutta said.