State Transport Authorities Will Now Accept E-version of Vehicle Documents

According to sources in the know of the matter, the proposal to carry goods in closed containers have been made considering the situation in developed countries. "Construction material carried in open and uncovered trucks is an environmental concern," stated an official of the transport ministry.

Edited By: Kanimozhi Sudhakar

Published: July 17, 2018, 8:14 AM IST

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https://www.india.com/news/india/state-transport-authorities-will-now-accept-e-version-of-vehicle-documents-3170251/ Copy

The proposal for raising road tax on specific categories of vehicles has reportedly been forwarded by the transport department to the finance department. (Representative Image)

New Delhi, July 17: The Centre has decided to make amendments to the Motor Vehicles Rules in a bid to make State transport authorities and traffic police accept the e-version of the vehicle documents. Documents such as pollution under control (PUC) certificate and insurance documents can be uploaded online, eliminating the need to visit the regional transport office (RTO) altogether. An advisory will be issued by the road transport ministry in the next two days to make Centre’s amends mandatory.

The reason behind this digital initiate is to go paperless and cashless. The e-version documents save time and energy for both the applicant and the transport officer.

According to a draft rule notified by the road transport ministry, trucks have to carry construction materials such as sand, soil and cement only in a “closed body” or “container”. If the cargo vehicles carry goods in open bodies, the draft notified that the “goods shall be covered by using appropriate covers like tarpaulin or other suitable material.” An official of the transport ministry said that carrying construction materials carried in open containers or in uncovered trucks pose an environmental concern.

Another change in the draft rule is the eradication of the two driver norm in long-haul vehicles.

Road Transport Ministry has also issued a proposal of installing FASTags, fixing reflective tapes and making vehicle tracking system mandatory in all National Permit vehicles. The ministry has proposed that new vehicles need not go through the fitness test since they are technologically advanced. As a relief measure, the ministry has allowed eight-year-old vehicles to take the fitness test once in two years instead of every year. Vehicles older than that have to undergo the fitness test annually.