PANAJI
As the upward trend in accidents has yet again sparked a debate over road safety and traffic discipline, the Transport Department has decided that speed governors are mandatory for both “ tourist taxis and rent-a-cars.
An order, issued by Director P Pravimal Abhishek (IAS) has directed the Assistant Directors of Transport (ADTs) to inspect these vehicles with a special focus on rent-a-cars to ensure proper installation and functioning of these devices.
The decision to include the rental cars comes against the backdrop of its rising involvement in accidents, with the recent two cases claiming the lives of three locals at Arambol and Mandovi Bridge in just a week.
Citing Rule 118 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, the order states, “…every transport vehicle shall be equipped or fitted with a ‘speed governor’ having maximum pre-set speeds for different categories as specified in the Rule…All ADTs are instructed to carry out comprehensive inspections of transport vehicles, to ensure the installation and functionality of speed governors is in compliance with the aforesaid Rule.”
The ADTs are also asked to ascertain whether these devices are installed as well as operating at the time of renewal or issuance of fitness certificates of such vehicles.
With this, Abhishek has asked the ADTs to submit an action taken report on or before March 11, which will be reviewed on March 12. The action taken report is sought by March 11, 2024, and reviewed the following day.
The State has been witnessing a spate of accidents, also involving rent a cars. The latest being the mishap at Bambolim on Tuesday, where fortunately no fatality was reported.
A total of 450 road accidents occurred from January 1 to February 22, 2024, resulting in 50 deaths out of 31 fatalities. While 142 sustained minor injuries, 51 victims had grievous injuries while 17 were self-accidents. The count increased during the past five days with even remote villages reporting it.
A day ago, the department cracked down on several violating vehicles by issuing show cause notices seeking a reply within 15 days.
