Aizawl: The state transport department failed to realise Rs 35.36 crore in fitness fees and fines from 2,977 transport vehicles operating without valid fitness certificates, Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has said.The CAG report, tabled in the assembly recently, said an audit of the district transport officer’s office in Kolasib found that the fitness certificates of 2,977 transport vehicles had expired as of Nov 29, 2022. There was no record to show that the vehicles had been taken off the road.The audit calculated that Rs 19.35 lakh in renewal and fitness fees and Rs 35.17 crore in fines had not been realised.Under Sections 39 and 56 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, transport vehicles must be registered and possess valid fitness certificates to operate in public places. The Central Motor Vehicles (Eighth Amendment) Rules, 2022, prescribe a fitness certificate validity of two years for transport vehicles up to eight years old and one year for vehicles older than eight years.The audit also found that demand notices issued by DTO focused on registration renewal instead of recovery of fitness fees and fines. While DTO said notices had been issued to defaulters in Jan 2020 and Jan 2023, all seven sample notices furnished to the audit related to registration renewal.The matter was reported to the department and state govt in October 2024. In its reply dated Nov 14, 2024, govt said action was being taken against tax defaulters through district transport offices and the directorate.It said notices were being issued to owners of vehicles older than 15 years for registration renewal, which included updating documents and clearing fitness fees and fines. Govt also cited manpower constraints, saying only 40 enforcement personnel were available to cover the entire state.The department said enforcement drives were conducted regularly and Road Safety Week or month was observed in coordination with Mizoram Police. However, CAG noted that govt’s reply was silent on the action taken to recover the dues after the audit raised the issue.The report observes, “Despite provisions under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and Central Motor Vehicles Rules for mandatory fitness certification, enforcement efforts by the transport department, Mizoram, were inadequate. The issuance of demand notices primarily focused on registration renewal rather than fitness fee and fine recovery.”The audit said the lapse reflected inadequate enforcement and revenue-collection mechanisms. It also noted that limited staff and Mizoram’s vast and difficult terrain had created systemic challenges in ensuring compliance.
