KARACHI, Nov 23: “The motor vehicle inspector (MVI) has declared my bus unfit for a fitness certificate for one reason or the other. Each time I removed the objections raised by the inspector and I am consistent with my intention to get the certificate without paying any illegal gratification”, Jan Mohammad, owner of a bus, told Dawn at the ground, in Saeedabad, where commercial vehicles are inspected by MVIs for the issuance of a fitness certificate.

Jan Mohammad said that the MVI had first raised the objection that his bus did not carry proper window glass and, as such, it could not be allowed to ply on road.

“I changed each and every glass of the bus windows and took the vehicle again to the ground for inspection. The MVI then came out with objection to the registration plate of the bus, saying that the number was not clearly visible. I got the plate re-painted to make it clearly visible. But, I am sure that the MVI would raise some other objection,”

Jan Mohammad mentioned that there were a number of ‘linkmen’ active at the venue of inspection, known as ‘fitness ground’. They act as middleman between the vehicle owners and the MVIs only to transact illegal gratification ensuring their own share in the amount.

“I have also been approached by a number of such linkmen but I declined to oblige them. They offer a ‘guarantee’ to get a vehicle approved by the MVIs against an amount usually ranging from Rs1,200 to 1,500 in case of a bus. The government has fixed the fee at Rs50.”

Jan Mohammad’s is not an exceptional case. A lot of people are seen running from pillar to post in the fitness ground to get their vehicles approved for a fitness certificate without paying the ‘extra charge’.

It is observed that the vehicles brought by such people are declined a certificate many a times and they have to come to the linkmen’s terms after getting fed up with the adamant attitude of the MVIs.

A rickshaw owner, Mr Hasan, whose vehicle looked fit and in sound condition, said: “The MVI who inspected it has already declared my rickshaw unfit for a fitness certificate thrice. Had I paid Rs350, the vehicle would be been passed in one-go.”

Mr Hasan filled in the prescribed form and deposited the government fee of Rs35 for the purpose. “I was stunned to see that a rickshaw owner gave Rs500 to a linkman and got the fitness certificate for his vehicle without even bringing it to the fitness ground for an inspection,” he claimed.

His claim was corroborated by many individuals who were lined up there for their turn. This is a usual practice called ‘open fitness’, some of them remarked.

Although an official sits at the main entrance and notes down registration number of each and every vehicle entering the ground. The practice is aimed at minimizing chances of corruption on the part of higher officials.

Dawn tried to talk to some linkmen or agents waiting for their ‘customers’ but they appeared reluctant to identify them as linkmen.

Owners of commercial vehicles are required to get the requisite fitness certificates from the Motor Vehicle Inspection Branch of the Sindh Police for Traffic and Highways, Saeedabad.

Dawn has learnt that the unscrupulous elements have fixed their own rates, as against the official rates, for the issuance/renewal of fitness certificates for the vehicles — physically fit or unfit. The official fee for a bus is Rs50 but they charge Rs1,200 and the fee for in case of a rickshaw is Rs10 but an aspirant has to pay Rs250-350.

Similarly they charge Rs500 for a taxi, Rs600 for a yellow cab, Rs650 for a truck/water tanker, Rs500 for a mini-truck, and Rs800 for a minibus/coach. The official fee chart, displayed prominently inside and outside the concerned office shows the rates as: Rs25 for a taxi/yellow cab, Rs75 for a truck/water tanker, Rs35 for a mini-truck, and Rs35 for a minibus/coach.

DIG Traffic Yameen Khan, while admitting corruption in the process of issuing fitness certificates, stressed the need for making amendments to the existing Motor Vehicle Ordinance with regard to smoke-emitting and noise-making vehicles.

He was of the view that the corruption could be curbed if the discretion powers of MVIs were curtailed and system was improved and modernized.

He said that due to the absence of smoke analyzer, break testing device and headlight beam’s adjustment device, the MVIs used the discretionary powers to judge if the vehicle in question was fit to ply on road. “If the system is computerized, the discretionary powers of MVIs will be curtailed and the chances of corruption will also diminish,” he added.

Mr Khan said that in the past, the vehicle requiring a fitness certificates were not brought to fitness ground. “We have ensured that every vehicle is taken to the ground and now it is in practice”, he maintained.

Opposing the proposal of privatization of the department, Mr Khan said the experiment of privatizing fitness certificate issuance had been done in Punjab which was not proved successful. “Police can take prompt action on any complaint and if the system is privatized, the things may go beyond control”, he viewed.

He said that six MVIs were placed under suspension over the past six months. “I spotted a bus with its seat covers torn. The bus was issued a fitness certificate only a day earlier. I immediately took action and suspended the MVI concerned,” he said.

“We are also planning to install cameras to monitor the process of issuing fitness certificate which would be a further check on the system,” he said.

A motor vehicle inspector at the MVI branch, requesting anonymity, told Dawn that the registration number of each and every vehicle entering the premises of the MVI Branch, was being noted down at the main entrance. The fitness certificates were issued after the proper examination of vehicles under section 39(1) and 40(2) of the West Pakistan Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1965, he added.

He said a fitness certificate was usually issued for the period of six months and if a vehicle was in a sound condition, the certificate was issued to it for a period of a year or more and not more than three years, though this happened in rare cases.

Irshad Bokhari, chief of a major transport group — Karachi Transport Ittehad — also opposed the privatization of the department. He also opposed the idea that either provincial or city government should regulate the department. He said the police were also part of government and corruption could not be contained just by transferring a department from one wing of the government to the other.

He stressed the need for bringing about an improvement in the existing system by enhancing salaries of MVIs and other staff and availing modern equipment for the vehicle inspection.