Govt to test certified cars for JK roads
Dealers mock at official order
Car dealers in Kashmir were taken aback after state’s transport commissioner issued them notifications of an order asking them not to launch new cars before getting them tested by its officials.
The new parameters set by the government to test new motor vehicles before their launch in Jammu and Kashmir has irked car dealers.
The order issued by Transport Commissioner J&K states that each new model of vehicle for introduction/registration into the J&K Transport System shall be submitted to the Transport Commissioner with requisite testing certificate issued by the prescribed agency provided under Rule 126 of Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 with an appropriate amount of fee.The order also said that all the new launches should be inspected and tested from the constituted sub-committee for evaluation and examination of the vehicles in all respects regarding technical specification, security features, road worthiness, climatic conditions and any other aspects that the committee may deem reasonable.
The local dealers have expressed surprise saying transport department doesn’t have any technical expertise and testing equipment for such order.
“Every new vehicle is tested for six months by the automotive research association of India before introducing them in the market,” said Managing Director of Shuhul automobiles, Mushtaq Guroo.
“The manufacturer launches the vehicle only after obtaining ARAI Certificate. I fail to understand why state government is wasting time by repeating the same procedure.”
Guroo said automobile sector is a major revenue contributor as buyers pay 13.5 percent of VAT to the state exchequer.
“It is government’s obligation to provide better road networks to the consumers. By restricting introduction of any new models, we are barring customers from possessing new models,” he said.
Automobile dealers associations both in Jammu and Srinagar have taken strong note of the government’s decision and has also apprised the Chamber of Commerce to take up the matter with the transport department for revoking this order.
However, Transport Commissioner J&K Parvez Iqbal Khateeb said they would streamline the whole procedure to make it people friendly.
“We are working to make the entire process a less time consuming affair so that customers and car dealers won’t face any hurdles. In next few days, we will come up with a new set up of rules,” Khateeb said.
