The Gazetteers Department

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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