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Pune: A recent report by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) reveals that a staggering 1.95 crore vehicles across India are operating without valid fitness certificates. These certificates are mandatory to ensure vehicle roadworthiness and adherence to safety and emission norms.
Among the states, Karnataka tops the list with over 20 lakh vehicles without valid fitness, followed by Bihar (14.19 lakh) and Tamil Nadu (15.58 lakh). The national capital, Delhi, also has a significant number of vehicles (7.61 lakh) failing to meet the fitness standards.
Here’s a state-wise breakdown of vehicles without valid fitness:
Andhra Pradesh: 1,206,672
Assam: 461,024
Bihar: 1,419,850
Chhattisgarh: 298,277
Delhi: 761,261
Goa: 56,956
Gujarat: 1,303,368
Haryana: 657,929
Himachal Pradesh: 178,943
Jammu & Kashmir: 110,793
Jharkhand: 743,340
Karnataka: 2,004,005
Kerala: 932,305
Nagaland: 114,798
Madhya Pradesh: 765,661
Odisha: 912,190
Punjab: 499,588
Rajasthan: 794,262
Tamil Nadu: 1,558,539
Uttar Pradesh: 1,686,661
Uttarakhand: 176,433
West Bengal: 1,085,345
Smaller states like Goa (56,956) and Nagaland (1.14 lakh) also contribute to this alarming statistic.
Concerns and Implications
The lack of valid fitness certificates poses a significant risk to road safety, increases environmental pollution, and undermines the enforcement of traffic regulations. The issue also highlights gaps in compliance and enforcement mechanisms at the state level.
Government’s Response
MoRTH is expected to strengthen measures to ensure timely renewal of fitness certificates and penalize violations. Additionally, initiatives to digitalize and streamline the certification process may help address this issue more effectively.
Call for Action
Experts emphasize the need for public awareness campaigns about the importance of vehicle fitness and stricter penalties for violators to reduce road accidents and environmental hazards.
