Automated centres to boost inspection

Automated inspection and certification centres for motor vehicles will soon be set up at Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, and Kurnool according to industry sources. It is part of Ministry of Road Transport and Highway’s (MoRTH) plan to build such centres in all the states and union territories for rigorous inspection of vehicles. The automated centres are expected to serve as technical centres for testing the road-worthiness of transport vehicles. They are expected to evaluate various parameters in a scientific manner, and to keep the problem of pollution, and road accidents as a result of mechanical failures at bay. As per S Prasada Rao, Joint Transport Commissioner, Regional Transport Authority (RTA), Andhra Pradesh, priority will be given to set up the centres at Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam first. The centre at Vijayawada is claimed to be facing a delay due to land clearance permissions from CRDA. Known to cost the Union Government Rs.15 crore, the areas of major expenditure include equipment supply and installation costs, construction cost for the structure and utilities, technical services, automation software, networking and auditing of garages. A similar centre in Nashik is known to be already operational.