With an aim to curb plying of unauthorised commercial vehicles, more than 2,200 vehicles were checked and 509 were challaned in the Union Territory of Chandigarh in October by the State Transport Authority (STA).
Also, 159 vehicles were impounded during the intensive checking drive conducted by STA in October to curb the tendency of plying unauthorised vehicles with incomplete documents, driving overloaded vehicles and to make the city pollution free.
STA Secretary Mahavir Kaushik said that during the inspection drive, a total of 509 vehicles, including CC bus, tourist bus, school bus, truck, auto passenger, auto load, taxi, tractor, driving school were challaned while 159 vehicles were impounded. The STA also issued 48 pollution notices to the vehicles.
The challaned vehicles included 8 tourist buses, 20 school buses, 88 trucks, 297 auto passengers, 5 taxis among others. Apart from this, 27 trucks, 113 auto passengers, 2 tractor/trolley, 4 taxis etc. were impounded.
By compounding the challans, Rs8,85,200 has been recovered as compounding fee during the month of October by the STA.
The STA Secretary Mahavir has advised the people to keep the documents complete in their vehicles, i.e., R.C. Insurance, Driving licence, Pollution under Control Certificate and permit and not to overload their vehicles while travelling so that they may not face unnecessary inconvenience. Autorickshaw and taxi operators have been advised to install and keep the fare meter in working order otherwise high penalty will be charged as per Motor Vehicle Act, he said.
A move for checking driving schools and pollution check centres have also been started by the STA for good quality of driving and to make City Beautiful a smoke free city.