MVA disgraced

Motor Vehicle Act stands disgraced in our State. Vehicular transport is one area that has been under radar for a long time. Very critical and adverse comments have flowed over a long period of time from sections of civil society about the inefficiency and incompetence of the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD). Many succeeding Governments have more than once professed to bring about radical change in the functioning of the department or bring about reformation that would mean total overhauling of the department but at the end of the day it has proved damp squib.  The major reason is the lack of initiative at various level in the Government.
How can one explain to the authorities concerned that for handling and controlling vehicular traffic over the mountainous roads of the State, there have to be very specific rules, regulations and considerations? In particular, in a region that is snow bound for at least one quarter of the year or the mountainous region exposed to monsoon rains leading to landslide and mudslides, handling of vehicular traffic has to be of very special nature. A number of times we have said in these columns that incompetence and inefficiency have gone so deep into the system that nothing but overhauling the entire structure and rebuilding it along modern lines can set things right. It is most unfortunate that so many accidents happen on National Highway and connecting roads that take many precious lives. It is a national loss. Everybody from the Governor down the line to the Traffic Inspector expresses regret whenever a tragic accident takes place, and certainly either because of the negligence or error of the driver or other reasons which could be controlled if there was strict implementation of the clauses of Motor Vehicle Act. We understand that the biggest discrepancy with the Motor Vehicle Department is that it is under-staffed and that makes its function defective. Ten years ago new structuring of districts took place and many new offices were opened. These needed creating of large number of new vacancies which the Government fulfilled in a manner it deemed was rational. But in the case of Motor Vehicle Department, although Assistant Regional Transport Offices (ARTOs) were opened commensurate with the parameters of new structure, but none of the Assistant Regional Transport Office has been provided with more than 8 functionaries. This is such a small number of functionaries that they remain busy with office work and nobody is available for field inspection, which is very important component. The MVD personnel have to be on spot, conduct surprise checks as well as regular checks. They are required to check roadworthiness of a vehicle of and on. But when they remain engrossed with paper and file work in the office, naturally the fate of road transport remains vulnerable and precautionary measures are neglected. It should be noted that there is mad rush for increasing the number of vehicles in J&K which is to the tune of 1.1 lakh vehicles a year. Let us imagine the enormity of vehicular traffic on the roads of the State.  Against the requirement of 1023 manpower to ensure effective functioning of offices of RTO Kashmir, RTO Jammu, RTO Kathua and ARTOs, at present the Motor Vehicle Department is having only 286 sanctioned posts, which have been rationalized for Transport Commissioner’s Office and each RTO/ARTO. Lack of interest of authorities can be gauged from the fact that they are not even capable of providing adequate staff in those districts which are known for high rate of road accidents and killings like Ramban, Kishtwar, Reasi, Doda, Rajouri and Poonch.  Maximum of road traffic accidents on the roads of these districts happen owing to violation of Motor Vehicle Act and Traffic Rules. The Department could at least take care of these six most vulnerable districts and make them safer for vehicular traffic.
In final analysis although we strongly recommend the Government to provide adequate manpower to the Motor Vehicle Department but we emphasize that at least in six most vulnerable districts providing full scale manpower should be arranged forthwith so that innocent lives are saved from untimely and tragic death.

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