Many TSRTC buses ply sans fitness certificate

Hyderabad: The RTA and RTC officials are colluding in the replacement of the engines of old RTC buses by ignoring the rules causing loss to the exchequer and also endangering the lives of passengers. The buses with replaced engines do not possess the mandatory fitness certificates to run on roads.

According to officials, the State government has given a special provision for the State owned Road Transport Corporation to replace the engines of the old buses. This provision is not applicable to private vehicles as these vehicles should have the same engine and chassis number until the vehicle is condemned or scrapped.

The TSRTC usually takes up replacement of engines of old buses after it travels certain kilometres. The replacement of the engines would have to be done in the supervision of the RTA officials. An official of the Transport department said that generally the RTC buses come to the workshop for overhauling, replacement of engines after four to five years.

The RTC officials should have to visit the RTA offices twice once before replacement and for the second time after replacement of the engine. The RTA official would check the engine and issue certificates of fitness and complete the official procedures with a prescribed fee of Rs 500 per engine.

Sources said that every year about 150 RTC buses come for replacement of engines. Every month on an average 20 to 30 buses come up for replacement of engines and during the months of September to November more than 40 buses come for replacement of engines, said sources.

Presently because of the restrictions on public transport the number of buses coming for replacement has decreased but even today there are around 40 buses at workshop at Uppal, added sources.

However, for the last couple of years the official procedures have been ignored. The buses are not certified by the RTA authorities. If the buses are not certified by the RTA officials, they will not be having mandatory fitness certificates to run on roads. In case of an accident, there would be legal cases against the buses of which the engines are replaced because the engine numbers do not match with the registration copy.

The RTC officials do not come to RTA and the RTA officials do not insist because it is a government owned entity, sources said.

Telangana Auto and Motor Welfare Union general secretary M Dayanand said that the RTA and RTC officials are throwing the rules to the wind and endangering the lives of people. "What will happen if a bus meets accidents and the insurance company denies claims on the grounds that the engine number does not match," asked Dayanand.