Automated fitness tests for commercial vehicles in Delhi begins

Automated fitness tests for commercial vehicles like buses and trucks have begun in the national capital. The transport department in Delhi has been started as part of the Centre's Vehicle Scrappage Policy which mandates commercial vehicles to undergo such fitness tests which have been plying on road for 15 years or more.

The automated fitness tests for buses and trucks in Delhi will reduce human intervention in the process and uses device instead. It check the noise levels and pollution using a probe through the emission pipe. After successful completion of the automated testing process, a certificate will be issued for each vehicle. The fitness certificate will be valid for one year.

The national vehicle scrappage policy came into effect from April this year. According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) notification, the renewal of certificate of fitness for public and commercial vehicles, like busor truck, older than 15 years will also cost eight times more than it is currently. The renewal fee may range between ₹10,000 and ₹12,500.

Ashish Kundra, Delhi Transport Commissioner, said, “Automated fitness test for buses and trucks...pollution, health of engine and other parameters. High noise levels indicate that there is structurally a problem in the vehicle. There is also a mechanism to check the centering of the vehicle. Its speed governors and headlights are checked as well."

Earlier, such fitness tests requires a team of experts, including a foreman, to do the job under the supervision of an officer from the transport department. It used to be outsourced to an agency.

The Delhi transport department will soon float tenders to set up similar automated testing centres for small commercial vehicles like three-wheelers and taxis. Currently, fitness tests for other commercial vehicles like auto-rickshaws and taxis are done manually at a testing centre is located in Burari, Delhi.