Indian Ministry Delays Vehicle Testing Deadline to Enhance Road Safety

New Delhi, 21st September 2023 – The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued a crucial notification, altering the timeline for mandatory testing of Transport Vehicles through Automated Testing Stations. This move comes as part of the government’s ongoing efforts to enhance road safety and vehicular compliance.

The notification, officially designated as GSR 663(E) and dated September 12, 2023, carries substantial implications for vehicle owners and operators across the country. It extends the deadline for mandatory testing, previously scheduled to commence on different dates for various vehicle categories.

New Testing Deadline: October 1, 2024

Under the revised guidelines, the new date for the mandatory testing of Transport Vehicles through Automated Testing Stations has been set as October 1, 2024. Vehicle owners and operators are now required to ensure the fitness testing of their vehicles through automated testing stations, as per the stipulations of Rule 175 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 (CMVR).

Automated Testing Stations

Crucially, the notification mandates that the fitness testing of vehicles must exclusively take place at automated testing stations. This requirement comes into immediate effect from the publication of the notification. These stations must also be duly registered under Rule 175 and operational within the jurisdiction of the respective registering authority.

Revised Timeline

The previous deadlines, as stipulated in GSR notification 272(E) dated April 5, 2022, have now been superseded by this latest announcement. Originally, the testing schedule was as follows:

For Heavy Goods Vehicles/Heavy Passenger Motor Vehicles: Effective from April 1, 2023.

For Medium Goods Vehicles/Medium Passenger Motor Vehicles and Light Motor Vehicles (Transport): Effective from June 1, 2024.