Patna: The Bihar government has introduced a new system for issuing vehicle fitness certificates, replacing offline inspections with automated testing under guidelines issued by India’s Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
The new rules, which came into effect on January 1, mandate that vehicle fitness certificates must be issued only through automated testing stations (ATS). Offline certification by transport officials is to be discontinued in phases, according to the ministry’s directive.
In Bihar, 20 districts have been temporarily linked to four operational ATS centres located in Patna, Vaishali, Rohtas, and Nalanda. Under the arrangement, seven districts have been attached to the Patna ATS, three to Vaishali, and five each to the centres in Rohtas and Nalanda.
The move is aimed at removing unfit vehicles from roads and reducing traffic accidents, officials said. The ministry has also instructed states to expedite the establishment of ATS facilities in districts where they are not yet operational.
However, the state transport headquarters in Patna has not yet issued a formal implementation order. Until further instructions are released, vehicle fitness inspections are continuing through physical verification by transport officials, authorities said.
According to the guidelines, districts without an ATS should move swiftly to set up the infrastructure. Automated testing stations examine vehicles without human intervention, using machines to assess roadworthiness. Tests include checks on brakes, suspension, emissions, lights, speedometers, noise levels, and side-slip, among other parameters.
If a vehicle meets all prescribed standards, the system automatically issues a fitness certificate. For commercial vehicles, fitness tests are conducted once every two years for the first eight years and annually thereafter.
Transport associations have raised concerns about the current arrangement. Mukesh Sharma, a district office-bearer of a motor federation, said linking districts without ATS facilities to centres in other districts could significantly increase costs and travel time for vehicle owners.
He urged the government to ensure that automated testing stations are set up in every district and to continue offline certification in the interim to avoid congestion on highways and unnecessary delays.
The new system is part of a broader national effort to standardise vehicle fitness testing and improve road safety through technology-driven oversight.
