‘Vehicle fitness checks mandatory to control smog’

Rawalpindi Division Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatta on Saturday visited the Vehicle Inspection and Certification System (VICS) Rawat Centre and thoroughly reviewed the facilities provided to the transporters.

He also got the fitness certificate of the official vehicle that he was using by getting it inspected at the VICS Centre Rawat and reviewed all the processes in detail. The Regional Transport Authority Secretary Rashid Mehmood, Rawalpindi Waste Management Company Chairman Rafiq Ahmed and representatives of the Transport Union were also present on this occasion.

The commissioner inquired about the facilities being provided by the Punjab government to the transporters who came to get the vehicle fitness certificate. The RTA Secretary, Arshad Mahmood gave a detailed briefing on this occasion.

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During the briefing, he was told that wheel alignment, suspension, brake, tire, and appearance tests, headlights, seat belt check, engine sound and smoke tests are done during the vehicle inspection. The fitness test would be mandatory after every 6 months while the fitness test of about 60 vehicles is done daily at the centre.

The commissioner said vehicle fitness checks are mandatory to control smog. He directed the authorities concerned to take action against all smoke-emitting vehicles. He informed that Rawalpindi city would be made smog free area.

The transporters must get fitness certificates for their vehicles from VICS before bringing their vehicles on the roads, he added. State-of-the-art vehicle fitness certification system is fully functional in Rawalpindi, he informed.

The fitness certification system would help reduce pollution, the commissioner said adding, that the issuance of fitness certificate for public transport and freight vehicles are conducted with modern technology.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 22^nd, 2023.