The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has taken a significant step to improve road safety by issuing a notification that modifies the timeline for mandatory testing of Transport Vehicles through Automated Testing Stations.
The official notification, known as GSR 663(E) and dated September 12, 2023, holds important implications for vehicle owners and operators across the nation. It extends the deadline for mandatory testing, which was previously set to begin on different dates depending on the vehicle category.
New Testing Deadline: October 1, 2024
As per the revised guidelines, the new date for mandatory testing of Transport Vehicles through Automated Testing Stations is now October 1, 2024. Vehicle owners and operators are now required to ensure that their vehicles undergo fitness testing at automated testing stations, following the provisions of Rule 175 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 (CMVR).
Automated Testing Stations
Significantly, the notification specifies that the fitness testing of vehicles must exclusively occur at automated testing stations. This requirement takes effect immediately upon the publication of the notification. These stations must also be properly registered under Rule 175 and operate within the jurisdiction of the respective registering authority.
Revised Timeline
The previous deadlines, outlined in GSR notification 272(E) dated April 5, 2022, have been replaced by this recent announcement. Originally, the testing schedule was as follows:
- For Heavy Goods Vehicles/Heavy Passenger Motor Vehicles: Effective from April 1, 2023.
- For Medium Goods Vehicles/Medium Passenger Motor Vehicles and Light Motor Vehicles (Transport): Effective from June 1, 2024.
