Transport department tightens rules, mandates photo-proof vehicle examination

• TNN

• Published On Mar 2, 2026 at 01:02 PM IST

RTOs must physically inspect at least 20% of vehicles, especially those registered outside the state, and mobile geo-fencing technology is being deployed to prevent misuse.

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Taking cognisance of the complaint, the transport commissioner, on Feb 13, directed the joint commissioner of transport to conduct a probe.

After the report was submitted, an FIR was registered against Ahmed under various sections of BNS.

In the wake of the scam, the transport department issued fresh guidelines last month mandating that all vehicles be inspected strictly at designated locations.

Under the revised protocol, vehicle inspectors must capture photographs clearly showing the licence plate along with the date, time and location. These images must be submitted to department authorities and uploaded to the Vahan portal.

Mandatory 20 per cent physical inspection

To enhance accountability, regional transport officers (RTOs) or office heads are now required to physically inspect at least 20 per cent of all vehicles presented for fitness certification. Special emphasis will be placed on verifying vehicles registered in other states before fitness certificates are issued.“We have already begun deploying mobile phone-based geo-fencing technology to prevent misuse of the system. We are doing our best to ensure such incidents are not repeated,” Commissioner Yogesh told TOI.

Official booked for issuing 10k unverified FCs to out-of-state vehicles

A senior transport inspector was booked Saturday for allegedly issuing fitness certificates (FCs) to 10,210 vehicles from other states, including Gujarat, without conducting physical inspections.

The accused, Nisar Ahmed of the Bangalore Central RTO, was suspended last month after authorities in Gujarat’s transport department raised an alert. Ahmed retired from service on Jan 31 while under suspension, though no legal proceedings had been initiated against him at the time.

The irregularities came to light after the Gujarat transport department notified Karnataka authorities and shared toll plaza data indicating that the vehicles had crossed toll booths within Gujarat on the same days their FCs were reportedly being processed in Bengaluru.

On Feb 12, S Nataraj Sharma, lawyer and president of the Federation of Private Transport Associations, submitted a written complaint to transport minister Ramalinga Reddy and transport commissioner Yogesh AM, seeking a high-level inquiry against four officials, including Ahmed.In his complaint, Sharma urged authorities to examine CCTV footage, inspection registers, Vahan portal entries, and test records. “Suspend the officers concerned pending inquiry if prima facie material is found. Take stringent disciplinary and legal action to prevent recurrence of such irregularities,” he stated.