Bhubaneswar, Jul 6: The Odisha Transport Commissioner-cum-Chairman of the State Transport Authority has directed strict enforcement against commercial vehicles repeatedly operating without valid fitness certificates (FC).

The new directive goes beyond issuing e-challans, mandating vehicle seizure at toll plazas and initiating legal proceedings under the Motor Vehicles Act.

According to official instructions issued to all Regional Transport Officers (RTOs), Additional RTOs, and Deputy Commissioners of Transport, vehicles found violating fitness norms multiple times will face suspension or cancellation of Registration Certificates (RC) and permits.

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Enforcement drives will be intensified at toll plazas, where vehicles will be detained, and their documents — including fitness certificate, RC, permit, insurance, and tax status — will be verified on the spot.

Vehicles without valid fitness certificates will be seized under Section 207 of the Motor Vehicles Act and released only after submission of proper documents.

Data from the e-detection portal between April 1 and June 30, 2026, reveals 43,696 e-challans were generated across 31 toll plazas against vehicles operating without valid FC.

Of these, 11,401 were unique vehicles, while 6,635 were repeat offenders. Alarmingly, 2,191 vehicles were caught five or more times, 960 vehicles ten or more times, 359 vehicles twenty or more times, and 37 vehicles over fifty times. Some vehicles were detected as many as 82, 80, 79, 76, and 75 times without valid FC.

The highest violations were reported at Bandalo-Manguli toll plaza (5,281 cases), Pipili (4,816), Sheragada (3,769), Gudipada-Gangapada (2,807), Sambalpur-Bargarh (2,338), Bhagada-Narayanpur (2,141), Kendra (1,629), and Gurapali (1,579).

The Transport Commissioner emphasized that this is not an isolated issue but a widespread problem, with many vehicle owners continuing to operate without renewing fitness certificates despite repeated e-challans.

Citing the Supreme Court’s ruling in Paramesh Bhasiin vs Union of India, officials noted that issuing challans alone does not end the offense, nor does it permit vehicles to continue operating illegally.

Under the new directive, notices will be issued within seven days for vehicles caught ten or more times, within fifteen days for those caught five to nine times, and within thirty days for those caught two to four times.

Enforcement officers have been instructed to act immediately and strictly against violators. For habitual offenders, RC suspension or cancellation will be initiated under Sections 53, 54, and 55 of the Motor Vehicles Act, while permits may be suspended or cancelled under Section 86. In cases involving vehicles from other states, the respective transport authorities will also be notified.

The Commissioner clarified that the purpose of e-detection is not merely to generate challans but to ensure road safety. Vehicles operating without valid fitness certificates pose serious risks to public safety, and repeated violations will now invite stringent action.