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REVENUE AND FINANCE |
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MOTOR VEHICLES DEPARTMENT.
MOTOR VEHICLES.
THE MOTOR VEHICLES DEPARTMENT deals with the
administration of the Motor Vehicles Tax and the Motor Vehicles
(Amendment) Act (XV of 1956), and the Bombay Motor Vehicles Tax Act
(LXV of 1958). Under the first Act all motor vehicles have to be
registered; all drivers have to take out a licence, which is given
only on their passing a prescribed test of competence; the hours of
work of drivers of transport vehicles are restricted; and third
party insurance of all vehicles plying in public places has to be
affected. It gives power to the State Governments to subject
vehicles to strict mechanical tests and to control the number of
vehicles to be licensed for public hire, specifying their routes and
also the freight rates. Fees are leviable for registration and issue
of licences and permits.
There is a State Transport Authority for each State
and Regional Transport Authorities have been set up for convenient
regions of a State. The State Transport Authority co-ordinates the
activities of the regional transport authorities.
The Regional Transport Authority controls the motor
transport in the region and deals with the issue of permits to
different categories of transport vehicles according to the policy
laid down by the State Transport Authority and the State Government
from time to time. It also performs such duties as grant of
authorisations to drive public service vehicles and conductors'
licences, taking departmental action against those permit-holders
who contravene any condition of the permit, etc., and prescribing
policy in certain important matters relating to motor transport in
the region.
Regional Transport Authority.
The Regional Transport Authority for Poona Region
with head-quarters at Poona, has jurisdiction over the Kolhapur
district and also over the districts of Poona, North Satara, South
Satara, Sholapur and Ahmednagar. It consists of four official and
six non-official members nominated by Government under sub-section
(1) of section 44 of the Motor Vehicles Act.
Regional Transport Officer.
The Regional Transport Officer functions as the
Secretary and Executive Officer of the authority. In his capacity as
Regional Transport Officer he is the authority for licensing drivers
and registering vehicles and also for prosecuting in cases of
offences committed under the Motor Vehicles Act. Acting under the
authority of the Regional Transport Authority, he is responsible for
all the duties connected with the issue and counter-signature of
authorisations to drive public service vehicles and conductors'
licences and with the grant, revocation, suspension and cancellation
of permits for public carriers, private carriers, stage carriages
and taxi cabs.
Other staff.
One Assistant Regional Transport Officer and one
Supervisor assist the Regional Transport Officer at headquarters.
Nine Motor Vehicles Inspectors look after the work of registration,
inspection of motor vehicles, testing of motor drivers and
conductors, checking of motor vehicles and detecting offences under
the Motor Vehicles Act. They are assisted by four Assistant Motor
Vehicle Inspectors in these duties. One Motor Vehicles Prosecutor
looks after the prosecution work and conducts cases launched in
courts of law. He also assists the Regional Transport Officer by
giving legal opinion whenever need arises.
This Department has liaison with the Police
Department. The Police Department carries out. periodical checks of
motor vehicles and detects offences under the Motor Vehicles Act. It
also attends to references from the Motor Vehicles Department
regarding verification of character of applicants for public service
vehicle authorisations, conductors' licences, taxi cab permits, etc.
It also helps in the verification of non-use of vehicles and
recoveries of arrears of taxes and in specifying particular places
for bus stops, etc.
The District Magistrate comes into relation with
this department in connection with imposition of restrictions on
road transport, fixation of speed limits, and location of motor
stands.
Motor Vehicles Tax Act.
Under the Bombay, Motor Vehicles Tax Act, taxes are
levied on all motor vehicles, except those designed and used solely
for carrying out agricultural operations on farms and farm lands.
The taxes are based on the types of vehicles (e.g., motor cycles,
tricycles, goods vehicles, passenger vehicles, etc.), and their
laden or unladen weight. The Act has removed all municipal and State
tolls on motor vehicles. The Rules made under this Act lay down that
when a vehicle is to be registered within the State, the registering
authority (i.e. the Regional Transport Officer) shall verify the
particulars furnished in the application for registration (e.g. the
make of the vehicle, its capacity, etc.), and determine the rate of
the tax for which the vehicle is liable. Every registered owner who
wants to use or keep for use any vehicle in the State has to pay the
tax determined, stating the limits within which he intends to use
the vehicles, i.e., whether only within the limits of a particular
municipality or cantonment or throughout the State. A token for the
payment of the tax will be issued by the registering authority and
this has to be attached to and carried on the vehicle at all times
when the vehicle is in use in a public place. A fresh declaration
has to be made annually, or every time the tax has to be paid (i.e.
quarterly, half-yearly or annually). The registering authority
before issuing the token in respect of the payment of the tax has to
satisfy itself that every declaration is complete in all respects
and the proper amount of tax has been paid.
It may be mentioned here that with a view to
facilitating the convenience of the motoring public and for the
purposes of smooth administration of Motor Vehicles Department an
office of the Assistant Regional Transport Officer has been
established at Kolhapur with effect from 1st June 1957 with one
Assistant Regional Transport Officer, two Motor Vehicles Inspectors
and two Assistant Motor Vehicles Inspectors.
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