Our Correspondent
Kohima | April 28
A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Kohima today between the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Nagaland State Department of Transport and the International Centre for Automotive Technology for establishment of a vehicle inspection and certification centre at Dimapur.
The primary target of this Centre is to ensure that vehicles, especially commercial vehicles, are 100 percent fit to ply on the roads, informed Transport Commissioner, Elias T Lotha.
A land for setting up of this project has already been procured at Chumukedima and the civil construction work will take 11 months. Thereafter, tender will be invited for equipment and operation of the project for two years.
Ashish Kumar, Project Manager, I&C, ICAT told media persons that once the Centre is put in place, all commercial vehicles must go for inspection and verification compulsorily.
Each year nearly one million people die worldwide in traffic accidents; approximately 23-24 million people suffer injuries. During period of 1986-1995 the road traffic toll in Asia alone had increased by 40%.
“The precarious situation of road worthiness also affects. Unfortunately, at present, there is no awareness of this problem’s size and danger in many countries and there is an urgent need to find out sustainable solution to this situation,” the MoU note stated.
An increasing number of vehicles in developing countries like India are not in roadworthy state. Poor maintenance and servicing of old in use vehicles not only damages the environment but also poses great safety hazard on road. The compliance with limits or standards of vehicles exhaust emissions for air quality improvement purpose is directly dependent on the implementation and enforcement of effective vehicle inspection system. Due to the rapid increase in public means of transportation, the improvement of vehicle performance capability and servicing becomes an ever increasing urgency.
“An effective air pollution control and thus, a decrease of vehicles emissions, improvement of roadworthiness can be achieved by the implementation of an effective vehicle inspection system.
The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways therefore proposes to set up one model Inspection & Certification Centre in each state/UT with central assistance,” the MoU stated.
Even though the new technology vehicles meeting stringent emission and safety standards are introduced in the market, there are still a lot old vehicles operating on the roads.
“With the increase in vehicle population, it is essential to ensure that the in use vehicles, which are on road, meet the safety and emission requirements for safe and environmental friendly situation,” it said, adding that vehicle Inspection & Certification programme is an effective tool to improve the condition of the in-use vehicle fleet.
The Central Government will provide funding to the State Government or any other agency deputed by the State Government for establishment of I&C centre which includes planning, construction of building establishment of utilities etc.
After two years of operation of the supplier of the equipment, the State Government can run the Centre with its own manpower and resources, or can identify a prospective centre operator through public bidding for establishment of the Centre.
