New motor vehicle fitness certificates to be issued: Sharjeel

The Sindh Transport Department on Saturday announced that new motor vehicle fitness certificates would be issued, with an updated SOP for the motor vehicle inspection system.

The new certificates will carry modern security features like barcodes, and will be effective from December 1. The new measures, according to Transport Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, are designed to enhance vehicle fitness standards.

Memon said the new measures aim at road safety improvement, reduction in environmental pollution, prevention of the issuance of fake certificates, and revenue for the government.

A statement issued by his department quoted him as saying that a detailed SOP has been issued for motor vehicle inspectors across the province. The minister said that these instructions must be strictly followed to ensure uniformity and accountability in the issuance of fitness certificates.

He announced that the transport department would notify the cut-off date for the new certificates, and any old fitness certificates issued would then be rendered null and void from that day onwards.

He said that all the old records at the motor vehicle inspection wings across the province would be seized, and a central database of fitness certificates would be maintained through an Android app.

Assistance will be taken from the law enforcement agencies, such as the traffic police, the district SSPs, and the highway and motorway police, to get the people on board the new system, he added.

Memon said that regular snap checks would be conducted by designated officers, and that any inspector issuing a fake certificate would be taken to task.

He said a campaign for creating public awareness would be initiated through print and electronic media, while meetings with transport associations would be organised for the proper implementation of the new measures.

He also said that designated locations in Saeedabad, Malir and Keamari are being established for comprehensive inspections of vehicles. Similar facilities are being set up in other districts, he added.

The minister said that for effective management, Karachi would be divided into two zones — East and West — with a focal person overseeing operations in the city, and submitting a monthly report to the transport department.