As per the Vehicle and Transportation Management Act-1993, public vehicles need to be checked every six months while private vehicles should be checked once a year. And, if a public vehicle fails the test, it may be prevented from plying its usual route. The act also allows the authorities to seize route permits. [break]
Also, if anyone does not follow the rules and do not check the vehicles timely, they may be slapped with a fine up to Rs 5000.
The centre is expected to conduct periodic scrutiny of altogether 106 parts of vehicles including their engines, brakes, horns, mudguards, body parts, head lights, spring, side slips, batteries, seat belts and many other interior and exterior parts.
The officials attributed the delay in bringing the centre into operation to the technicalities of the equipment to be used to conduct tests. As all the equipments of the VFTC have been brought from China, they are calibrated to test the vehicles as per Chinese standards. Now, the Department of Transport Management engineers are working to reset those equipment to Nepali standards.
“It is taking us a long time to reset the all the equipments,” said Mohan Prasad Bhattarai, a mechanical engineer with the DoTM. “Since the centre is first of its kind in Nepal, we have had to tackle many problems from the very first day of the project.”
As of now, the DoTM conducts tests on vehicles using Health Smoke Unit (HSU) and Breath Analyzer, which are useful only in checking the level of carbon emitted by the vehicles.
If the HSU machine shows smoke emitted by a vehicle as above 60 units, then the vehicle gets a red sticker, indicating that the vehicle is not in a good condition. Vehicles with smoke level of below 60 get green stickers, which means they are in good condition. Such vehicles are allowed to ply within the ring road. So, vehicles have been classified only by red and green stickers.
The construction of the centre was completed in August, 2012 with an estimated cost of around Rs 60 million, according to DoTM Director General Sharad Chandra Poudel. But the DoTM officials are still unsure when it would come into operation.
The officials also claim that just one VFTC will not be sufficient for the regular monitoring of all the vehicles in Kathmandu.
“We need at least 10 such centers in Kathmandu,” said Sharad Adhikari, technical director at DoTM. “This centre has the capacity to check eight vehicles per hour and it will be too difficult for it to check 40,000 vehicles registered in the valley twice a year.”
In order to deal with the problem, the department is considering other alternative as well. It is looking for ways to involve the private sector to operate such centers in and around the valley.
“We need at least 65 such centers all across the country. And since we lack necessary budget, we should find a way to engage private sector,” says Adhikari.
Metropolitan Traffic Police Division is eagerly waiting for the VFTC to come into operation as it would help it in the management of roads and vehicles. “We have been urging them to operate the centre as soon as possible as it would minimize road accidents,” said Pawan Giri, spokesperson for the MTPD.
“One of the major reasons for the accidents and traffic jams is the poor condition of vehicles, and the situation has been worsening in the absence of fitness centers in the Valley,” said Giri.
“We don´t think HSU machine and Breathe Analyzer used at present by the DoTM to conduct tests are reliable. There are many vehicles which have got fitness certificates but are in fact in a very poor condition.”
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INTERVIEW
´Private sector should also operate such centers ´Sharad Chandra Poudel
Director General
Department of Transport Management
Why is Vehicle Fitness Test Centre required?
In a bid to stay fit and fine, we need to go for regular health checkup. Like us, our vehicles also need to under regular check ups for their proper maintenance. For that, VFTC is being constructed, which checks the condition of vehicles and identifies defects.
When will the VFTC come into operation?
We are still not sure about it. We faced many obstacles its construction of the VFTC. Political instability was one major obstacle.
Lack of proper knowledge and budget, and the frequent transfers of government staffers also added to our problems. After overcoming all these odds, we are now dealing with another problem. The equipment we brought from China is set as per Chinese standards. Now, we are working to reset them.
Will the VFTC be able to carry out frequent checks on all vehicles in the Valley?
That is not possible. We need more than 10 such centers to check all vehicles registered in the valley. Therefore, we have to encourage private sector to build such centers. The government does not have budget for more such centers. I hope the private sector will show interest in this business in future.
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