RTOs refuse to issue fitness of vehicles
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 7: Alleging that Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) and ARTOs have refused to issue fitness certificate of all type of commercials forcing them to install `Vehicle Location Tracking Devices and Panic Buttons’, All J&K Transport Welfare Association has decided to go on strike on June 12.
In an emergency meeting of all the transporters of Jammu and Kashmir including presidents and representatives of all bus, truck, tanker, mini buses, Sumo/Taxi Unions, held under the chairmanship of TS Wazir, Chairman of the Association here today, the members unanimously resolved to go on strike if some reasonable time was not granted to the transporters. They alleged harassment by all the Transport officers to them on this account. They condemned the State Transport authorities for the rigid attitude.
Wazir said initially, State Govt issued order for installations of speed governors and high security registration number plates on all the vehicles. Now, the fresh directions have been issued to install Vehicle Location Tracking Devices and Panic Buttons in public service vehicles. This system has now been made mandatory for all type of commercial vehicles including goods carriers. For this fitness certificate is being denied. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH) had issued instructions to set up control rooms for monitoring / functioning of such devices. But this control room has not been set up by the State Transport authorities so far. Association approached the Transport Commissioner and RTO Jammu to withdraw this order till a control room is set up but they have not given reasonable time or set up control room.
Singh further said even during meeting held with Advisor in presence of TC and other senior officers on April 25, the Advisor had given assurance that system will not be installed till a control room is set up. Despite this all, the RTOs and ARTOs have refused to issue fitness certificates in favour of commercial vehicles for the last about two weeks. He sought intervention of the Governor and the Advisor concerned into the matter.
Meanwhile, Association resolved to observe token strike on June 12 ( (Wednesday) if its demand is not met, the transporters and operators will go for indefinite strike from Lakhanpur to Leh-Ladakh after June 12.
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