The Gazetteers Department

The Motor Vehicles Department deals with the administration of the Motor Vehicals Tax and the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act (XV of 1956), the Bombay Motor Vehicles Tax Act (LXV of 1958). Bombay Motor Vehicles (Taxation of Passenger) Art, 1958 and the Maharashtra Tax on Goods (Carried by Road) Act, 1962. Under the Motor Vehicles Act all motor vehicles have to be registered, all drivers have to obtain a licence, which is given only on their passing the prescribed test of competence; the hours of work of drivers of transport vehicles are to be restricted and third party insurance of all vehicles plying in public places has to be effected. It gives powers to State Government 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 for issue of licences and permits.

State Transport Authority.

There is a State Transport Authority for each State and Regional Transport Authorities have been setup for convenient regions of the 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 the Thana region with headquarters at Thana has jurisdiction over the Dhulia district as also over the districts of Thana, Kolaba, Ratnagiri, Nasik and Jalgaon, It consists of four official and two 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 Regional Transport Authority. In his capacity as the 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 Regional Transport Authority, he is responsible for all the duties connected with the issue of and countersignature of authorisation 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.

The immediate subordinates to the Regional Transport Officer at the headquarters are the assistant regional transport officer for goods tax work and the regional supervisor for other items of work. They assist the Regional Transport Officer in executing his duties and look after the office administration. Whenever the Regional Transport Officer is out of headquarters, the assistant regional transport officer acts for him. The regional supervisor supervises the work of inspector and assistant inspectors of motor vehicles. The 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 the assistant motor vehicles inspectors in these duties.

Liaison with Police Department

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 vehicles authorisations, conductor's licences, taxi cab permits, etc. It also helps in the verification of non-use of vehicles and recoveries of arrears of taxes and specifying particular places for bus stops, etc.

The District Magistrate is concerned with this department in connection with imposition of restrictions on road transport, fixation of speed limits, and location of motor stands at various places, etc.

Bombay Motor Vehicles Tax Act.

Under the Bombay Motor Vehicles Tax Act, taxes are levied on all motor vehicles, except those designated and used solely for carrying out agricultural operations on farms and farm lands. The taxes are based on the type of vehicles (e.g., motor cycles and cars, 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) 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. In respect of transport vehicle the limits within which the vehicle will be plied (whether only within the limits of particular municipality or cantonment, or throughout the State) has also to be stated. A token for the payment of the tax is issued by the taxation 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.

Bombay Motor vehicles (Taxation of Passengers) act 1958

The Bombay Motor Vehicles (Taxation of Passengers) Act. 1958 envisages levy and payment to the State Government of a tax on all Passengers carried as contract carriages stage carriages (including stage carriages used at contract carriages at the rate of 15 per cent, or the amount of the fares payable to the operator of the stage carriages except where such stage carriages ply exclusively within a municipal area or exclusively on such routes serving municipal and adjacent at areas as may be approved by the State Government.

Maharashtra Tax on Goods (carried by road) Act 1962

The Maharashtra Tax on Goods (carried by road) Act. 1962 came into force from October 1, 1962. The tax in accordance with the provisions of the Act and the rules made thereunder is leviable on carried in public goods vehicles at the rate of 3 per cent. of the freight charged for the carriage of the goods. The Act also provides for the payment of tax on goods by lump-sum payment. The rates of lump-sum payment are fixed on the basis of carrying capacity of the vehicle.

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