Sand lorry owners urge TN govt to exempt goods vehicles from tracking device rule

Chennai, Sep 13 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu State Sand Lorry Owners Federation has appealed to the State government to withdraw its directive mandating the installation of Vehicle Location Tracking Devices (VLTD) on goods and light commercial vehicles, arguing that the order is unnecessary and financially burdensome.

Federation president S. Yuvaraj, in a letter to Transport Minister S.S. Sivasankar, said the transport community fully supported the introduction of VLTDs on passenger vehicles to strengthen commuter safety.

He recalled that the move was part of nationwide safety reforms introduced after the 2012 Delhi gang-rape case.

“We have no objection to fitting VLTDs in passenger buses and taxis. But extending this to lorries and light vehicles serves no real safety purpose and looks driven only by revenue considerations,” he wrote.

Yuvaraj noted that most commercial vehicles already carry GPRS-based systems for tracking and monitoring. Forcing owners to add another device, he said, was an unnecessary duplication and an avoidable financial strain.

He also criticised the government for not holding consultations with transport associations before issuing the order.

“Stakeholder discussions are essential in a democracy. Directives without dialogue create mistrust,” he added.

The Commissionerate of Transport and Road Safety has floated an Expression of Interest (EOI) for VLTD manufacturers to implement the scheme by October 22. As per the notification, the requirement will cover buses, school vehicles, stage carriages, tourist permit vehicles, private service vehicles, taxis, maxi cabs, and goods carriers including water and petroleum tankers.

The department has also retained the power to expand the rule to other vehicle categories as required.

In addition, the federation urged the government to address the long-pending issue of unpaid traffic fines generated through the State’s online penalty system.

According to Yuvaraj, penalties running into hundreds of crores remain unsettled, often because they were issued based only on vehicle registration numbers and enforcement targets.

He suggested that Tamil Nadu introduce a one-time settlement scheme similar to Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, where vehicle owners were allowed to pay 50 per cent of their dues under a compound fine or Lok Adalat mechanism.

“We are ready to clear arrears if such a concession is extended. It would provide relief to vehicle owners while ensuring that the State recovers substantial revenue,” the federation said.

With the VLTD implementation deadline nearing, the federation’s appeal has added momentum to calls for a review of the government’s order.

--IANS

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