At least 43 buses which do not have a fitness certificate from the Regional Transport Authority ply under the nose of Thane Municipal Corporation, according to the information sought under the Right to Information Act. This alarming figure came to light after a Thane resident, Nainesh Dolas, sought the details from Thane Municipal Transport under the RTI Act.

According to the details provided by the TMT, these 43 buses are over 15-years-old and fitness certificates of some of them had expired three-four months back.

TMT, which has a fleet of 300 odd buses, has already sold eight buses as scrap and set aside 22 buses in state of ‘non-use’ at its Wagle depot. There are 28 more buses which have been identified as unfit and have been being proposed to be off the roads.

In Mumbai, as per the Bombay High Court ruling, transport vehicles running on diesel have to be scrapped after eight years. Outside Mumbai, as per the existing rules, after two-years of obtaining a vehicle meant for transport, a fitness certificates has to be obtained from RTA annually. 

Plying a vehicle without fitness certificate is in violation with the Motor Vehicle Act and Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules and is a punishable offence. It attracts a fine of Rs 2000 along with detainment of the vehicle.

“TMT is risking the lives of commuters and pedestrians by plying unfit buses. It should be more responsible in observing the law of the land,” said Dolas. 

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