Lok Sabha Question No. 379 (STARRED), answered on 2020-03-19
Subject: Harassment of Truck Drivers and Fleet Owners
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Imtiaz Jaleel Syed, Asaduddin Owaisi

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that truck drivers and fleet owners are harassed by many Government  agencies  like  traffic  or  highway  police  and  personnel  of  tax  and  transport departments;
- (b) whether truck drivers  and fleet  owners have to  pay  nearly Rs. 48,000  crore  annually as bribe as reported in the Times of India dated 29 February, 2020;
- (c) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (d) the number of such cases reported during the last three years and the current year so far, State- wise;
- (e) whether  the  Government  has  issued  any  instructions  to  these  agencies  to  not  to  harass truck drivers and fleet owners;
- (f) if so, the details thereof; and
- (g) the other corrective steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## (SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

- (a)  to (g) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. 379

ANSWERED ON 19 TH  MARCH, 2020

## HARASSMENT OF TRUCK DRIVERS AND FLEET OWNERS

## *379.   SHRI SYED IMTIAZ JALEEL: SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## lM+d ifjogu vkSj jktekxZ ea=h

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  to  (g)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  379  ANSWERED  ON  19.03.2020  ASKED  BY  SHRI  SYED IMTIAZ  JALEEL  AND  OTHERS  REGARDING HARASSMENT  OF  TRUCK  DRIVERS AND FLEET OWNERS

(a) Some incidents have come to notice where they faced inconvenience and harassment when being  asked  to  produce  certificates  of  registration,  insurance,  fitness  and  permit,  the  driving licence and any other relevant documents on demand by any police officer in uniform or any other authorised by the State Government.

(b) to (d) No such information is available with the Ministry.

(e) to (g) The Parliament has recently passed the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019. For ensuring greater compliance  and  checking  irregularities/corruption and for providing facilitation and convenience to citizens the new provisions have been added such as 'electronic monitoring and enforcement of road safety' which provides for usage of speed cameras, closedcircuit  television  cameras,  speed  guns,  body  wearable  cameras  and  such  other  technology  for enforcement.

Further,  the  Ministry  vide  G.S.R.  1081(E)  dated  2nd  November,  2018  has  omitted  the mandatory colour scheme for inscribing the words "National Permit". It has been allowed that the transporters  may  paint  the  words  in  any  colour  as  long  as  it  is  prominent.  The  minimum requirement of having two drivers has also been removed. It is also mandated to have mandatory fitment of FASTag in all vehicles with National Permit and vehicle tracking device. Furthermore, the certificate of fitness for transport vehicle shall be valid for two years for vehicles up to eight years old and one  year for vehicles older than eight  years. The driver or conductor of  a motor vehicle shall produce documents of registration, insurance, fitness and permit, the driving licence certificate for Pollution Under Check and any other relevant documents in physical or electronic form, as available on or downloaded from the DigiLocker application or mParivahan application, on  demand  by  any  police  officer  in  uniform  or  any  other  officer  authorised  by  the  State Government.

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