Bombay HC wants RTOs to have road tracks to test cars

The Bombay high court on Monday directed the chief secretary of Maharashtra to give an undertaking to the court stating that road tracks would be provided to each and every Regional Transport Office (RTO) in the state to conduct test drives of vehicles before issuing fitness certificates. The court added that it would issue a contempt notice against the chief secretary if it did not receive this undertaking.

The division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Amjad Syed was hearing a public interest litigation filed by activist Srikant Karve, seeking that RTOs be directed to comply with a court order of them being equipped to conduct the mandatory test required under the Motor Vehicles Act to issue fitness certificates to four-wheelers.

The bench asked the chief secretary to give the undertaking by Monday. It added that if the chief secretary thinks that this is the duty of some other official, then the same should be conveyed to the official concerned. But the court nonetheless wants the undertaking by Monday, failing which the contempt notice would be issued.

Though the court has already directed RTOs to provide all the necessary equipment to conduct driving tests, the government, however, had recently informed the HC that due to some practical difficulties, it could not comply with the court order and fully equip the RTOs to conduct tests for issuing fitness certificates.

The biggest challenge for the government is to provide a 400-metre road track for testing vehicles. Under the Motor Vehicles Act, it is mandatory for the RTOs to have 400-metre road tracks for testing.