Unfit vehicles rule Ctg roads
A number of unfit vehicles ply the city roads, posing a threat of accidents. The photo was taken at Port Connecting Road on Monday.Photo: STAR
Over 21,000 unfit vehicles have been plying the roads, causing frequent road accidents that marked a sharp rise in the city and district recently. Non-renewal of fitness, route permit, road tax and income tax certificates by a section of dishonest vehicle owners also causes the government to lose a huge amount of revenue every year, sources said. Sources at Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) Chittagong said 38,497 fitness certificates were renewed last year against around 60,000 heavy and light vehicles, including bus, truck, pick-up, microbus, private car, motorbike and tempo plying in the city and district. Fee for renewing fitness certificates of a heavy vehicle is Tk 945 and a light vehicle is Tk 645. For failure to renew timely a heavy vehicle is to pay Tk 300 as late fee and a light vehicle Tk 150 a month. BRTA earns around Tk 48 crore against renewal of fitness, route permit, road tax and income taxes while over 21,000 vehicles do not turn up for renewal, depriving the country of around one third of revenue, said the sources. The unfit vehicles run by unskilled or untrained drivers, sometimes by helpers, had given rise to road accidents in the recent months, said the sources. BRTA Traffic Inspector Mohammad Shamsul Kabir said 45 accidents took place in the city and district in the last four months since January. The accidents left 37 dead and 76 injured, 48 critically. Cases were filed in connection with these accidents while two of the damaged and age-old vehicles were ordered to go off the road, he said. “We issue letters giving a 15-day time to the vehicle owners concerned to renew the fitness certificate and pay taxes immediate after the time for renewal expires every year,” he said. BRTA acting Assistant Director Sheikh Mohammad Ataullah Chowdhury said out of around 60,000 motor vehicles, only 38,497 got the fitness certificates renewed in 2007. Besides, the two-stoke three wheelers, which were banned in the metropolitan areas but still plying in the city and districts after CNG-conversion, don't come for renewal, he said. He said they will take action against the vehicles plying the roads without legal documents and in violation of traffic rules through mobile courts with the help of police. “The highway police can play a remarkable role in this regard while upazila administration and district police can help seize the unfit vehicles that crowd mostly the upazila areas to avoid penalty,” he said. Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) Assistant Commissioner (Traffic) Mizanur Rahman said they always launch drives against the vehicles running without fitness and road tax certificates and in violation of traffic rules. He said they seize the unfit vehicles and fine those for dodging fitness tests and revenue. He said they also file cases for reckless driving.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments