Bhubaneswar's Transport Authority Cracks Down on Unsafe Vehicles: 401 Fitness Certificates Revoked!

Intensified Enforcement Against Road Safety Violations

In Bhubaneswar, the State Transport Authority (STA) has ramped up efforts to enhance road safety by revoking 401 vehicle fitness certificates during a focused three-day enforcement operation targeting overloaded and unfit vehicles.

This initiative, spearheaded by Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena, was overseen by Principal Secretary Usha Padhee and Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur.

Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) conducted thorough inspections statewide, concentrating on vehicle fitness and instances of overloading.

Official reports indicate that 2,532 challans were issued throughout the operation, leading to fines totaling Rs 56,37,632.

Of these, 275 vehicles were penalized for overloading, while 536 faced penalties for failing to meet fitness standards.

Specific penalties for overloading included 14 vehicles from Cuttack, 25 from Sambalpur, and 14 from Keonjhar, among others.

In addition, 60 vehicles from Jagatsinghpur, 26 from Subarnapur, and 17 from Keonjhar were also penalized.

Significant fine collections were noted in various districts, including Rs 9.98 lakh from Angul, Rs 3.79 lakh from Chandikhole, and Rs 5.13 lakh from Bolangir.

The Transport department emphasized that this action is part of a larger strategy aimed at reducing road accidents through a combination of awareness initiatives and strict enforcement.

Weekly special drives focusing on different road safety themes are being implemented.

Officials have cautioned that enforcement measures will become even more rigorous in the near future, with strict penalties for violators under the Motor Vehicles Act.

The STA has called on all road users to comply with traffic regulations to ensure their safety and that of others.