Timeline For Mandatory Fitness Test Of All Vehicles Extended: Road Transport Ministry

The central government has extended the timeline for mandatory fitness test of all vehicles, including trucks, buses and cars, only at automated testing stations (ATS) and the new norm will be applicable from October 2024.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has notified the extension on Wednesday (13 September).

Earlier, the proposal had made fitness tests mandatory for heavy commercial vehicles such as trucks and buses from October this year and June 2024 was the timeline set for all other categories of vehicles.

According to the Ministry, the main reason behind pushing the timeline for fitness tests at ATS for all vehicles, is the inadequate number of such centres across the country.

As per law, commercial vehicles such as buses, trucks, cabs need to get the first fitness test done every two years, till these are eight years old and after that the tests must be done annually. The rule specifies that vehicles failing to pass the fitness tests cannot ply on road.

In the case of cars, the fitness test is done after 15 years from the date of registration.

Automated testing stations ensure that there is no human intervention during fitness tests and the reports are factual.