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The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has come up with draft rules which does away with the need to get fitness certificate at the time of registration of new vehicle. It has also said the words “National Permit or N/P” shall be inscribed in the front and rear of the vehicles in bold letters. In case of trailers, the words “N/P” shall be inscribed on the rear and left side of the vehicle.  The Ministry has sought public views on the draft rules.

“No fitness certification shall be required at the time of registration for new transport vehicle sold as fully built vehicle and such vehicle shall be deemed to be having certificate of fitness for a period of two years from the date of registration,” it said.

According to draft rule, in case of a tanker carrying dangerous or hazardous goods shall be painted in white colour and shall display the class label, on both the sides and rear of the tanker.

The draft rules also make it mandatory for all four-wheelers to have FASTag devices fixed on the front windscreens by automobile manufacturers or authorised dealers. A FASTag is a device that employs radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it. It is affixed on the windscreen of the vehicle and enables the commuter to drive through toll plazas, without stopping for cash transactions.

The draft rules say vehicle shall be affixed with reflective tapes at front and rear as prescribed norm. “Vehicle shall be fitted with a Vehicle Tracking System device,” it said.

On the goods vehicle, the draft rules said  “all goods carriage vehicles shall carry goods in a closed body of the vehicle or container”. “Provided that if it is necessary to carry goods in open bodies, goods shall be covered by using  appropriate cover like tarpaulin or any other suitable material”, it said. 

“Provided further that the goods of indivisible nature, not capable of being carried in a closed  body or being covered as per the first proviso, may be carried without cover,” it added. The Ministry has also proposed that in Rule 139, after the words “driving licence and” the words “certificate for Pollution  Under Check in physical or electronic form”, shall be inserted.