Seventeen officials, including deputy transport commissioner A.N. Bhalchandra, from the State transport department have been suspended for issuing fitness certificates to vehicles without conducting proper inspections.
This is the second round of suspensions based on the report of a three-member inquiry committee, which was set up in response to a public interest litigation filed by Shrikant Karve. In September, the department suspended 37 officials for the same offence.
Besides Mr. Bhalchandra, eight motor vehicle inspectors and seven assistant inspectors attached to various regional transport offices were suspended. Transport Commissioner Shekhar Channe said the suspension orders were issued on Wednesday. According to the order, Mr. Bhalchandra was suspended for misleading the High Court and ignoring its directive. Fourteen of the suspended officers were posted at the Thane RTO at the time of the inquiry.
PIL points out flaws
Mr. Karve’s PIL highlighted irregularities in the issuance of fitness certificates, which are mandatory for vehicles to ply. Commercial vehicles need to renew their fitness certificates every two years until the first eight years and every year thereafter. An RTO gets around 200 vehicles daily for fitness tests.
The High Court also issued a directive that all RTOs must have 25-metre-long test tracks, equipped with CCTV cameras.
None of the RTOs in the city have managed to comply with the order yet and commercial vehicles are required to go to Airoli to get fitness certificates.
