Pune: Transporters have urged authorities to conduct a trial run of the fully automated vehicle fitness testing system at the Pune Regional Transport Office’s (RTO) Dive Ghat inspection centre before its rollout on Wednesday.The Pune RTO has installed four automated testing machines for different categories of vehicles at the facility.“In addition to these, more machines have been installed to automatically conduct all tests related to vehicle fitness,” Pune deputy RTO Swapnil Bhosle said.According to RTO officials, the system uses automated roller beds on which vehicles are positioned. The machines independently assess critical parameters such as braking efficiency, acceleration and other mechanical functions, generating a fitness report without manual intervention. RTO inspectors will only verify the results before issuing fitness certificates.“The automated system will reduce human intervention significantly and speed up the testing process. It will improve efficiency and enable more vehicles to be tested every day,” an RTO official said.The Dive Ghat facility currently conducts nearly 400 vehicle fitness tests daily. Under the existing system, inspectors manually instruct drivers to accelerate, brake and perform other manoeuvres before determining whether a vehicle is roadworthy. Officials believe automation will reduce the time taken for each inspection considerably.Fitness certificates are mandatory for all commercial vehicles and must be renewed annually.Transporters who have long complained about delays in obtaining fitness certificates welcomed the move but cautioned against a rushed implementation. They said the current manual process often takes an entire day, affecting business operations.Baba Shinde, president of the Maharashtra State Vahan Chalak Malak Pratinidhi Mahasangh, said the association had requested the Pune Regional Transport officer to conduct a 15-day trial of the new system before making it operational.“About five years ago, a similar automated fitness-testing machine worth over Rs 50 lakh was installed at the Alandi Road RTO for autorickshaws. However, it developed technical issues and failed to deliver the expected results. We do not want a repeat of that experience,” Shinde said.He said transporters support automation but stressed that the equipment must be thoroughly tested before being commissioned.“If the machines function as intended, they will save time for both transporters and the RTO. But the authorities must first ensure there are no technical glitches. A trial run will help identify and rectify any issues before full-scale implementation,” he said.RTO officials said preparations for commissioning the automated system are in the final stages, and the new testing process will replace manual inspections once the facility becomes operational.“A new portal (vahan.parivahan.gov.in/AFMS) has been launched where vehicle owners can book appointments for automated fitness tests. Existing appointments will continue to be processed under the current manual system,” another RTO official said.
