Mumbai, Jul 31 (PTI) The civic-run Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has taken a fleet of leased electric cars off the roads after finding out these were plying without valid fitness certificates and insurance.
Confirming the development, BEST spokesperson Sudas Samant told PTI on Thursday that the cars had been pulled back a day earlier.
They will not be used till they have valid fitness certificates and insurance, Samant asserted.
BEST had hired around 140 Tata Xpres-T EVs for its officials and staff from Nagpur-based Sargo Overseas Private Limited from March 2023.
As per a reply furnished by BEST, these cars were hired for a period of 15 years and it was paying Rs 5,08,800 annually or Rs 42,400 per month for each vehicle to Sargo Overseas at present.
For the first 10-year period, BEST is supposed to pay Rs 42,400 to the company per car per month, and Rs 28,407 for the remaining five years.
Samant said the company has informed it has so far produced 45 electric cars for fitness certificate procedures at the RTO office earlier this week, but he did not disclose if those cars have been brought on road or not.
The fitness certificate or insurance of some of the leased cars expired eight months ago and the same was the case of insurance of several cars, BEST sources claimed.
As these cars are registered under commercial category from November 2022 to July 2023, biannual fitness renewal is mandatory for them, these sources added.
Earlier, in a written reply to PTI’s query, BEST had informed that obtaining certificates from the transport authorities was the responsibility of the private firm from whom the vehicles have been leased.
Sources also said the vehicles were taken off the roads after the undertaking’s drivers refused to drive them.
As per Rule 62 of Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989, fitness certificates are mandatory for all commercial vehicles, including EVs.
Under section 146 of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, motor vehicles plying on roads must have insurance policy covering third party risks.
As per rules, driving a car without a valid fitness certificate can result in fines ranging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 for a first-time offence. Subsequent offences can lead to fines up to Rs 10,000 and even imprisonment.
For driving an uninsured vehicle, the fine is Rs 2,000 for the first offence, and Rs 4,000 for every subsequent offence. There is also a provision of imprisonment for the violation of the rule. PTI KK BNM
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