‘All out efforts to be made to make Pindi smog-free city’

Rawalpindi:Commissioner Rawalpindi Divisional, Liaquat Ali Chatta here on Wednesday said that all-out efforts would be made to make Rawalpindi city a smog free area.

During a visit to Vehicle Inspection and Certification System (VICS) Seham Depot, Chor Harpal, he said the vehicle fitness checks are mandatory to ensure anti-smog measures. The Commissioner said, action in accordance with the law will be taken against smog emitting vehicles. Secretary, Regional Transport Authority (RTA) Rashid Ali and representatives of Transport Unions were also present on this occasion.

The Commissioner was briefed about VICS, Seham Depot, Chor Harpal centre. He was informed that wheel alignment, suspension, brake, tire and appearance tests, headlight, seat belts, engine sound, smoke and other tests are conducted in the vehicle inspection centre. Fitness test of commercial vehicles is mandatory after every six months period while fitness tests of nearly 60 vehicles are conducted at the centre daily.

The Commissioner said that it was necessary for all the commercial vehicles to get fitness certificate from VICS before coming on the roads. The vehicle fitness certification system which is fully equipped with state-of-the-art facilities is fully active in the town, he added. Issuance of fitness certification would help reduce pollution, the Commissioner said and informed that the passenger and freight vehicles were being inspected with advanced technology.

Only technically fit vehicles are issued fitness certificates which are very important for the road safety, the Commissioner said. The Commissioner directed the authorities concerned to display banners regarding anti-smog measures on major roads and bus terminals. The Commissioner asked the transporter unions to cooperate with the administration to eliminate pollution. The office bearers of the transporter unions should send the transporters to VICS centre to get vehicle fitness certificate, the Commissioner said and warned that on violations of the rules, the commercial vehicles would be impounded.