Bhubaneswar, Jul 9: The Odisha Transport Department has tightened regulations to curb misuse of vehicles in illegal activities, mandating Aadhaar verification for all registration and ownership transfer processes. The directive, issued to all Regional Transport Offices (RTOs), aims to eliminate discrepancies in identity and address proofs that have complicated accident investigations and criminal probes, officials said on Thursday.

Officials noted that in several cases, vehicle owners submitted documents with mismatched addresses, making it difficult for police and transport authorities to trace accountability. To address this, Aadhaar authentication has been made compulsory for every application, with strict rejection of forms containing incorrect names, phone numbers, or addresses.

Additional Transport Commissioner Deepti Ranjan Patra said that the rules will be enforced more stringently for commercial vehicles, with ownership transfers requiring thorough verification of buyers’ documents.
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Former DGP Sanjeeb Marik and road safety expert Subrata Nanda highlighted that vehicles from outside Odisha are often used in narcotics smuggling and other crimes, sometimes with altered number plates. Authorities will now verify where vehicles are usually parked and the business locations of owners. Any vehicle found without valid certificates, permits, or insurance papers will face immediate legal action.

The department has also warned transport officials against negligence. If an officer approves ownership despite false addresses, they will be held personally accountable and face disciplinary measures.

The move comes amid rising concerns over accidents and criminal misuse of vehicles, with the government determined to plug loopholes and ensure stricter compliance across the state.