Nearly all of Gujarat’s 16 automated fitness centres for heavy goods and passenger vehicles face the state transport department’s action for irregularities in issuing certificates. On Jan 5, TOI had reported that the centres, among other irregularities, issued fitness certificates to run-down vehicles from Rajasthan on the basis of their doctored images.
All 16 centres had been issued notices following the allegations and 15 of them now face licence suspension while police complaints could be filed against three that were found to be morphing vehicle images to make them look ‘fit’.
After its detailed analyses of CCTV footage and road tax data, the department conducted one-on-one hearings for the centre operators. Based on their statements, the order to suspend the licences was issued. An official said, “After the hearings, the transport department found irregularities and all centres, barring one, will face suspension of their licence for 15 days to six months. Three centres that were found to be morphing images are likely to face police complaints.”
The inquiry established that many vehicles from Rajasthan, despite having fitness testing centres in their vicinity, were getting their certificates from centres in Gujarat. Interestingly, many of the vehicles issued certificates had never entered Gujarat, analyses of CCTV footage and FASTag records at toll plazas showed. Some were in another state on the days they were issued certificates.
The modus operandi was simple. The centres would ask for pictures of heavy vehicles, and owners would share photoshopped images in order to get the fitness certificate. Checks of permit and road tax data revealed that neither had the vehicles taken temporary permit to enter Gujarat nor had they paid road tax, proving that they received the certificates without undergoing an actual test.
Against the fixed charges of INR 200 to INR 600 for tests depending on vehicle size, the centres charged between INR 3,000 and INR 5,000 to issue fitness certificates.
“In many cases, the vehicles did not even have fast tags. How did they then ply in Gujarat when it is mandatory for every heavy vehicle registered here to have a FASTag?” said an officer. The physical condition of some of the vehicles was so bad that it was impossible for them to travel to Gujarat, but they were issued fitness certificates even then.
