Despite strong opposition by several states and UTs including Delhi, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has directed State Governments and all UTs to implement fee hikes of driving licence, and vehicle registration fees.
In a letter to Principal Secretaries (Transport), the Secretaries (Transport) and Transport Commissioners of all states and UTs, Abhay Damle, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways clarified that the revised rates for delay fee can be changed at the new rates from the date of publication of the notification on December 29, 2016 and not retrospectively.
According to officials, Delhi and several other States have opposed the new rates hiked by the Ministry of Transport. The Delhi Government has also written to Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari to withdraw the new rates as transport unions have threatened to go on strike on this issue.
As per the Transport Ministry notification, a learner licence which was earlier issued with a fee of Rs 30, has been increased to Rs 150 with an extra charge of driving test fee of Rs 50. Charges will be higher if the driving licence is a smart card and in those states whose Governments have opted for automation and are using technology to conduct driving or vehicle fitness tests. According to the notification, the fitness certificate fee has been increased from Rs 300 to Rs 600. If a vehicle owner fails to get a fitness certificate before it expires, he or she will have to pay an additional fee of Rs 50 for each day of delay besides the regular charge.
The Ministry has also imposed a fine of those failing to renew their licence on time will have to pay Rs 300 and an additional fee of Rs 1,000 for each year of delay. As per notification, annual fitness test of a heavy vehicles will cost Rs 600, the fee for an automated test will be Rs 1,000.For cars, the charges are Rs 400 and Rs 600 respectively.
The notification says that in case of delay in submission of NOC for change of ownership, vehicle owners must pay Rs 300 and Rs 500 per month as additional fee for motorcycles and other vehicles respectively . If vehicle owners fail to get fitness certificates in time, they will have to shell out an additional fee of Rs 50 for each day of delay in addition to the regular charge.
According to the new fee structure, while manual fitness test of a heavy vehicles will cost Rs 600, the fee for an automated test will be Rs 1,000.For cars, the charges are Rs 400 and Rs 600 respectively.