Transporters oppose new vehicle inspection format

Demand that govt first improve the quality of roads in the province

RAWALPINDI: Transporters in Rawalpindi have protested the decision of the government to authorise a multi-national firm to issue fitness certificates for vehicles.

They say that the company will bag a revenue of around Rs100 million every year instead of the government.

United Transport Federation (UTF) General Secretary Mustafa Khan, told The Express Tribune that previously, motor-vehicle examiners used to collect revenues of around Rs40 million in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi while checking the fitness of vehicles’ fitness however the government now intends to give the related authority to a Swedish company.

“We have information that the company will be authorized to issue fitness certificates to goods transport vehicles as well,” he added.

The government was planning to give subsidy to the related company to make it successful, he accused.

Expressing concerns over the high standards to be adopted by the company, Mustafa demanded that the Punjab government should improve the condition of roads across the province to the level of roads in Europe before handing over the contract of gauging the fitness of vehicles here to such a company.

Lamenting the government’s decision, Mustafa said that they were reviewing the overall situation and called on the federal government to protect the interests of transporters on every forum.

“We are already worried about the hike in dollar and fuel prices while the government is imposing a multi-national on our heads,” he complained.

He added the increase in dollar and fuel prices had a direct impact on their businesses since it meant that the cost of spare parts for vehicles to keep them in good working order go up. Moreover, the increase in fuel prices means that their operational costs also go up, making their business more expensive to do and less viable to contract work.

The Punjab government had on Saturday had stopped the motor-vehicle examiners across Punjab from working and instructed them to submit all records to the provisional transport authority.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2019.