Maharashtra: Autos Without Valid Fitness Certificates to Pay INR 50 Daily Fine

The Maharashtra transportation department on Monday, May 27, issued an order that autorickshaws and private tourist buses that are operating without fitness certificates would be subjected to a fine of INR 50 per day.

According to reports, 8 to 10% of rickshaws in Mumbai and its surrounding metropolitan region (MMR) are operating without fitness certificates. Some of these vehicles haven't had their certificates renewed since 2016.

A fitness certificate is an important document for any vehicle to keep a track of its safety. It is issued after a complete check of the vehicle to determine its technical condition. This certificate guarantees that the vehicle is safe to drive on public roads.

The Mumbai Auto Rickshaw-Taximen's Union has expressed dissatisfaction with this new directive. They argue that the Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) have been receiving outstanding fines related to vehicle fitness since 2016. According to the union, the situation is particularly dire in Thane and Navi Mumbai. Many drivers have been struggling to make their vehicle's loan payments since the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have even stopped driving.

The union has written a letter and demanded that the penalty should be withdrawn as most of the autorickshaws operate on local routes without current fitness certificates. 

Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad union have also not given their support to this decision. They have warned that if this fine is not cancelled within the next eight days, they will start a movement. Unions have threatened a strike in Maharashtra if the fee is not removed. As per a report by Pune mirror, protests have already started in Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad, and other parts of Maharashtra.

Section 81 of the Motor Cars Act says that vehicles that fail to perform the required periodic fitness inspections will be fined INR 40 per day. This was contested in the High Court back in October 2017, and the decision was subsequently overturned earlier in April. On May 17, the Transport Commissioner's Office sent a circular to all RTOs, requesting that they implement the rule.