Modern Vehicle Inspection, Certification Station To Be Inaugurated On Monday

RAWALPINDI, (Muzaffargarh.City – 19th May, 2019 ) :Abandoning the decades old transport inspection system, Rawalpindi city will have a modern Vehicle Inspection, Certification Station (VICS), in Rawat which will start operation on Monday (May 20).

According to Regional Transport Authority (RTA) official, the Punjab government had made mandatory for commercial vehicles in passenger and freight sector to pass fitness test of a OPUS Inspection, a Swedish firm which would start its operation here from Monday at Rawat, G.T.Road near Radio Pakistan as all the arrangements to inaugurate the facility had been finalized.

Opus Inspection, the Swedish firm, was establishing 39 Vehicle Inspection and Certification Stations (VICS) in all 36 districts of the province. Stations had already been made operational in Lahore, he added.

The Punjab Transport Department issued a notification on May 16 that consequent upon completion of Vehicle Inspection Stations in Districts Sahiwal, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Rahim Yar Khan, Lahore (Multan Road), Mianwali, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rawalpindi, Layyah, Muzaffargarh, Nankana Sahib, Lodhran, Sargodha and Gujranwala M/S OPUS Inspection (Pvt.) Ltd. is provisionally authorized to start operations of inspection of Transport Vehicles at designated Vehicle Inspection Stations and issue Fitness Certificates with immediate effect at the prescribed rates notified by the government of the Punjab.

Motor Vehicle Examiners officers, Sahiwal, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Rahim Yar Khan, Lahore (Multan Road), Mianwali, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rawalpindi, Layyah, Muzaffargarh, Nankana Sahib, Lodhran, Sargodha and Gujranwala were directed to cease issuance of Fitness Certificates to Transport Vehicles with immediate effect.

According to the new system, buses, vans, cabs, trolleys and trucks will be issued VICS certificate after alignment inspection, brake inspection, visual inspection, vehicle suspension verification, headlight inspection, emission inspection and vehicle noise inspection.

The transport department had set Rs 1169 inspection fee for HTV and LTV, Rs 779 For Delivery Vans/Rickshaws/All Others. The renewal fee after six months will be charged Rs 585 for HTC and LTV and Rs 487 For Delivery Vans/Rickshaws/All Others From 1st July 2019.

Transport officials claim the modern inspection method will be helpful in controlling the road accidents and entering this sector into a modern era.

“No public transport will be allowed to operate on roads without passing the seven inspections of international standard which aims to ensure road safety and minimize the number of accidents,” told the official to APP.

He added that the enforcement staff of the transport department would ensure every vehicle to get the VICS certificate.

Divided into three categories, the VICS includes “A-type station” which will test LTV (Light Transport Vehicles) and HTV (Heavy Transport Vehicles). The company has established at station at Rawat.

The “B-type station”, having single inspection lane, will serve only LTV and provide inspection facility in Rawalpindi, Jehlum and Attock in Rawalpindi division.

The “C-type station” is mobile unit and serve both LTV and HTV at facility centre in Chakwal, in Rawalpindi division.

Maximum inspection time for HTV, LTV and rickshaws will be 30 minutes, 20 min and 15min respectively. Moreover, the owners/driver will take appointments through toll free numbers, SMS and website services.

Separate air-conditioned customer areas, help desk and waiting areas will also be established to provide good service to vehicle owner/driver during the inspection.

The Opus company had signed the agreement with Punjab government on BoT (Build, Operate and Transfer) basis. The company will make bi-annual inspection of a vehicle with different free structure for 30 years period.

The government has also provided land on lease for the VICS stations in all the cities.

It is pertinent to mention here that in the recent past, the dilapidated condition of passenger vehicles caused horrific accidents in different areas which claimed a number of precious lives.

The existing system of inspection here managed by provincial transport authority through motor vehicle examiners has been criticised for making no proper testing for the vehicles. It mostly allows unfit vehicles to ply on roads especially in rural areas, towns and small cities.