RTO docks two government vehicles for violation

NAGPUR: The city traffic police are very particular about collecting fines for violations from common people, but seem to be lenient towards government vehicles. However, the city RTO has proved it won’t spare government vehicles, as they detained two vehicles including one plying for the income tax department. The vehicle was using the department’s plate in the place of vehicle’s registration number. Deputy RTO Vijay Chavhan said the department caught the vehicle near its office on Amravati Road. It was found plying using the department’s plate in the place where there should be the vehicle’s registration number. The board mentioned ‘additional/joint commissioner of income tax’, while the number MH31-EQ0038 was written below it, said Chavhan. He pointed out it was a clear violation. Apart from asking the private operator plying his vehicles in the income tax department to remove the illegal number plates, Chavhan said the department would write a letter to the commissioner, income tax to ensure that vehicles attached with their office were not violating laws.Sources, however, said it was not the only vehicle attached with the IT department found violating the norms. Even a TOI reader has clicked a photograph of a vehicle with registration number of MH31EQ0039 for similar violation. “Vehicles of the tax department seem to have no respect for motor vehicle rules,” motorists, requesting anonymity said. Even the high court’s recent directives seems to have no impact on this department as one can find many vehicles using department’s plate in the place of vehicle’s registration number.In the past too, TOI had on several occasions highlighted that illegal number plates in vehicles being owned by political leaders or belonging to some senior officers or departments were very common even as RTO and traffic police do nothing about them. This has added a more menacing dimension to the problem of drivers using fancy number plates on vehicles.“The department also detained NMC’s suction laden truck being used for cleaning chocked drainages in the corporation limits for plying without fitness certificate,” said the deputy RTO. During regular patrolling, a flying squad of RTO stopped the vehicle in Civil Lines area and found that the fitness certificate had lapsed a couple of months back. Chavhan said during inspection, at least six faults were detected in this vehicle which included non functional reflector, tail lamps etc.