The Transport department has made seatbelts and surveillance cameras mandatory in all heavy vehicles, including stage carriers, for issuance of fitness certificates from November 1.
Transport Minister Antony Raju, in a statement here on Sunday, made clear that only vehicles, including Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses, equipped with seatbelts and cameras will be issued fitness certificates from November 1.
Earlier, the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) issued an order making seatbelts and cameras inside and outside stage carriages mandatory as per the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act, which will come into force from November 1. In the wake of the order, vehicle owners had approached the department requesting that the compulsory installation of seatbelts and cameras for heavy vehicles should be made applicable only from the date of issuing the fitness certificate after November 1.
Deadline extended
The department has also issued an order extending the deadline for diesel autorickshaws to switch to alternate green fuels from the current 15 to 22 years. At present, autorickshaws that are 15 years old need to switch to renewable fuels. Already there was a delay in setting up the necessary infrastructure to convert diesel autorickshaws into renewable energy-based autorickshaws. Further, these autorickshaws could not be put on the road for two years during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, while there was no such restriction for other non-diesel-powered vehicles.
Considering all these aspects, the deadline for conversion of diesel autorickshaws, which need to obtain a fitness certificate annually, has been increased from 15 years to 22 years, said Mr. Raju. The Minister also said that more than fifty thousand people in Kerala who ride autorickshaws for a livelihood will benefit from this decision.
