Enforce legal requirements on fare meters, excessive smoke of public vehicles: SHC

Public transport vehicles should be registered, fitness certificates, fare meters installed, not emit excessive smoke.

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday ordered the transport department, traffic police and the environmental protection agency to strictly enforce legal requirements of proper vehicular registration, fitness and installation of the fare meters in public transport vehicles.

Furthermore, officials have been ordered to take strict action against violators in accordance with the law.

These directions were issued by the two-judge bench while concluding a public interest litigation.

Advocate Abid Hussain, the chairman of his Human Voice Welfare Association, had pleaded to the court to order the officials, including those of Motor Vehicle Registration Wing, Excise and Taxation Ministry and the DIG Traffic Karachi to ensure that all public vehicles should obtain mandatory fitness certificates, and install fare meters.

He had also urged to the court to order taxi and rickshaw drivers to charge fare according to the law. Besides, orders were sought for the officials to initiate prompt action against all those vehicles which were not complying with the legal requirements as well as those emitting excessive smoke and creating environmental pollution.

Filing their response, the transport, traffic police and Sepa officials gave an undertaking that necessary steps are being taken to ensure that all public transport vehicles would comply with legal requirements including registration, fitness certificates and installation of the fare meters.

They also informed that action is being taken against those vehicles which do not comply with listed procedures and rules. Action against the smoke-emitting vehicles is also being taken regularly in accordance with the law, the judges were informed.

Petitioner Abid Hussain maintained that he would be satisfied if the petition is disposed of directing the authorities to ensure enforcement of all the mandatory legal requirements at the public vehicles, including the taxis and rickshaws.

Disposing of the petition, the bench ordered the relevant departments to ensure strict enforcement of laws concerning physical fitness, registration, fare meters installation and stopping excessive smoke-emission from the public vehicles.