CAG finds 67,603 vehicles, including 561 ambulances, operating without fitness certificates

This audit examined the functioning of Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) and Assistant Regional Transport Offices (ARTOs) in Uttarakhand, specifically focusing on the Regulatory Wing's compliance with transport laws, revenue collection, and licensing processes for the period from 2019-20 to 2023-24.

Who it concerns: Government of Uttarakhand, Transport Department (Regulatory Wing), Regional Transport Offices (RTOs), and Assistant Regional Transport Offices (ARTOs).

What the auditor found

• 67,603 vehicles found with active status on the Vahan portal but without valid fitness certificates.
• ₹ 46.36 crore shortfall in transfer to the Uttarakhand Road Transport Accident Relief Fund (only ₹ 30.02 crore deposited out of ₹ 76.38 crore required).
• ₹ 361.86 crore in pending tax arrears for 65,931 vehicles, with ₹ 176.81 crore outstanding for more than five years.
• 1,65,861 challans amounting to ₹ 58.02 crore not forwarded to the Hon’ble Court as of 31 July 2024.
• ₹ 9.77 lakh short realisation of Green Cess due to delayed rate updates in the Vahan application.
• 12,001 transport vehicles issued fitness certificates without ensuring installation of speed governors.
• 144 individuals found holding more than one driving licence (288 total licences).
• Hill Endorsements granted to out-of-state drivers without efficiency tests or credential checks.
• Only ₹ 10 crore released from ₹ 209.20 crore collected as Green Cess for pollution control and urban transport improvements.

Also in the document

• CAG found that 67,603 vehicles, including 561 ambulances and 34 educational buses, were operating without valid fitness certificates.
• CAG reported that 1,65,861 traffic challans worth ₹ 58.02 crore remained pending at the department level and were not sent to court for settlement.
• CAG noted that Hill Endorsements for driving in hilly terrain were granted to out-of-state drivers without any efficiency test, limiting the process to revenue generation.
• CAG observed that only 39% of the required amount for the Road Transport Accident Relief Fund was deposited, leaving a ₹ 46.36 crore balance untransferred.