Inspect vehicle fitness centres applied for ATS conversion: HC
1
2
Jaipur:
Rajasthan High Court
Tuesday directed the
state transport department
to ensure the inspection of
vehicle fitness centres
that applied for conversion into
Automated Testing Stations
(ATS) within 30 days and to expedite decisions on their pending applications. The order came in response to a petition filed by private fitness centre owners challenging the state govt's decision to close all 83 fitness centres operating in Rajasthan from April 1.The closure followed directions from the ministry of road transport and highways, which asked states to conduct
vehicle fitness tests
only at automated centres to minimise human intervention and manipulation.
The petitioners argued that 30 of the 83 fitness centres already applied for conversion to ATS and invested significantly to upgrade their facilities with automated testing equipment. They contended that the govt failed to decide on these applications or issue guidelines and instead abruptly closed the centres without any formal order.
They said their centres were operating under all govt guidelines issued in 2018.Rajeev Kumar Sogarwal, counsel for the petitioners, informed the court that the fitness centres also sought an order preventing RTOs and DTOs from conducting manual vehicle inspections while their ATS applications were pending. The petitioners pointed out that the ministry of road transport and highways directed states to speed up the approval and operationalisation of ATS and phase out manual testing. Despite this, from April 1, their authorisations were withdrawn even though many had valid permissions to run fitness centres until June and Oct 2025.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Book HSRP appointment before June 16, else risk denial of key services
Nagpur: Despite repeated directives from the Maharashtra transport commissioner, a majority of vehicle owners in Nagpur are yet to install High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) on vehicles registered before April 1, 2019. Now, the state transport department has warned that vehicle owners who have not fitted the HSRP plates will be denied key services after June 16. Vehicle owners who have booked appointment for HSRP fitment before this date have been exempted. On June 2, transport commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar issued a order directing all Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) in the state to stop processing ownership transfers, address change in registration certificates, hypothecation entries and removals, duplicate RC issuance, vehicle modification entries, and NOCs for vehicles that are not fitted with HSRP. "Only those vehicle owners who have a valid appointment for HSRP installation will be exempted. Renewal of fitness certificates for transport vehicles and registration certificate renewals for private vehicles are currently not included in this restriction," the order stated. HSRP installation was made mandatory under Rule 50 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR), 1989. The new number plates come with unique serial numbers, holograms and are tamper-proof, ensuring better tracking and security. However, several issues are hampering compliance. Many motorists complain about the cumbersome online appointment procedure and a long waiting list at dealer fitment centres. There are also reports of some dealers charging exorbitant fees, despite clear instructions that no additional charges should be levied. Furthermore, in violation of norms, some dealers are affixing the plates using screws instead of the mandatory permanent fixtures. The transport department has also clarified that imitation HSRP plates — those that merely display holograms, the 'IND' mark, or words like 'INDIA'— will not be considered valid unless they are issued by an authorised manufacturer and updated on the VAHAN portal. Owners of such vehicles risk being fined Rs1,000 under Section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Out of the 16.71 lakh vehicles registered in Nagpur district before April 1, 2019, only around 21.6% are fitted with valid HSRPs. Among the three RTOs in the district, the Nagpur Rural RTO has recorded the highest compliance so far, with 1.20 lakh out of 5.62 lakh vehicles fitted with the new plates. Officials expressed concern over the widespread disregard for the regulation and indicated that there will be strict enforcement of the order after June 16. Vehicle owners who fail to comply risk not just monetary penalties but also being barred from essential vehicle-related services.
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Time of India
Inspect vehicle fitness centres applied for ATS conversion: HC
1 2 Jaipur: Rajasthan High Court Tuesday directed the state transport department to ensure the inspection of vehicle fitness centres that applied for conversion into Automated Testing Stations (ATS) within 30 days and to expedite decisions on their pending applications. The order came in response to a petition filed by private fitness centre owners challenging the state govt's decision to close all 83 fitness centres operating in Rajasthan from April closure followed directions from the ministry of road transport and highways, which asked states to conduct vehicle fitness tests only at automated centres to minimise human intervention and manipulation. The petitioners argued that 30 of the 83 fitness centres already applied for conversion to ATS and invested significantly to upgrade their facilities with automated testing equipment. They contended that the govt failed to decide on these applications or issue guidelines and instead abruptly closed the centres without any formal order. They said their centres were operating under all govt guidelines issued in Kumar Sogarwal, counsel for the petitioners, informed the court that the fitness centres also sought an order preventing RTOs and DTOs from conducting manual vehicle inspections while their ATS applications were pending. The petitioners pointed out that the ministry of road transport and highways directed states to speed up the approval and operationalisation of ATS and phase out manual testing. Despite this, from April 1, their authorisations were withdrawn even though many had valid permissions to run fitness centres until June and Oct 2025.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Time of India
Unregistered electric scooters flood the streets in Chennai, raise fire and insurance risks
A growing grey market of unregistered electric vehicles is rapidly reshaping Tamil Nadu's EV landscape—and not in a good way. At the heart of this shift is a regulatory loophole that exempts EVs with motor power below 250W from mandatory RTO registration and insurance. Local manufacturers exploit this clause to flood the market with ultra-cheap e-bikes priced as low as 30,000—less than a third of mainstream branded EVs. But these savings come at a steep price."The main risk is poor battery quality," said S T Ravichandran, an automobile engineer with a German firm. "Batteries account for 40%–50% of an EV's cost, so grey market sellers use recycled lithium-ion cells with weak thermal control. This raises chances of overheating and fire, especially while charging or on long rides."Many unbranded EVs are also falsely labelled 250W to dodge registration, he added. "They use regular-capacity batteries meant for higher-power vehicles. Makers cut costs by skipping quality cells and Battery Management Systems (BMS). Loosely soldered joints, no fuses, and fake '250W' stickers make these bikes unsafe and misleading."Without type approval or load testing, these EVs skip vital checks for stability, braking, and shock absorption. Some models show serious chassis vibration even at 20 km/h. They're not just unstable—they're unsafe, say transport looming risk is insurance. Since these vehicles are not registered with RTOs, they cannot be insured. "If one of these vehicles hits a pedestrian or gets into an accident, there's zero third-party liability coverage. That's a huge public safety blind spot," said R Srinivasan, an the risks, these unregistered EVs now outsell regular ones three to one, with monthly volumes hitting 20,000 to 25,000 across Tamil Nadu, compared to just 3,000 for registered models. Their rise coincides with another major setback for India's clean mobility push: the gradual slashing of the FAME II 2023, the subsidy shifted from a per-kWh model to a fixed amount. Under EMPS from April 2024, buyers get a flat 10,000 per vehicle—pushing many cost-conscious customers toward cheaper, unregulated EV brands Ola, Ather, and Bajaj cut prices to stay competitive, but the reduction in govt support dragged down sales. S Rajvel, State Chairperson of the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), urged the govt to plug the loophole and amend norms to prevent the market from tilting in favour of unchecked, unstable slump in EV sales contrasts sharply with a 14% rise in petrol and diesel vehicle registrations in Tamil Nadu. Another key reason, say commuters, is the lack of public charging stations. "Range anxiety remains high—people fear getting stranded on highways or in traffic if the battery dies," said S Kamal, a transportation activist. Tamil Nadu currently has just 1,500 public EV chargers, compared to more than 5,800 in Karnataka.
