A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Monday directed the enforcement officers under the Motor Vehicles department and the police to conduct periodic inspections at night and take coercive steps, including cancellation of fitness certificate of transport vehicles and contract carriages that flout safety regulations and cancellation of driving licence of the drivers of those vehicles.
The Bench comprising Justice Anil K. Narendran and Justice P.G. Ajithkumar also ordered the police to give necessary assistance in case of any obstruction to the discharge of duties of the enforcement officers during the inspections of the vehicles.
The court also directed the enforcement officers and the police to book vehicles violating the statutory safety norms and not to permit such vehicles to proceed with passengers.
The court also ordered action against the owners of contract carriages who made alterations to their vehicles and the persons or agencies which installed unauthorised fittings such as high volume audio systems in vehicles. The court ordered that educational agencies should not permit vehicles that flouted the prescribed safety standard under the Motor Vehicles Act and Rules to enter their educational institutions. Educational agencies should report to the station house officer concerned and the enforcement officers concerned about such vehicles, the court said.
The fact that vehicles that flouted safety regulations were used for educational tours showed that the teachers were least bothered about the safety of their students. The Education department should proceed against such educational agencies in accordance with the law for booking such vehicles for study tours.
The court said that legal action should be taken against vloggers promoting such vehicles. It was for the Transport Commissioner to take necessary action to ensure that videos of such vehicles were not being uploaded on YouTube or other online media.
