Sindh government declared fitness certificates mandatory for heavy transport vehicles (HTV) on Thursday as Karachi continues to battle with traffic congestion and rising fatal accidents involving dumper trucks.
Addressing a press conference in the port city, Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Memon noted that all heavy traffic vehicles will now be required to have a fitness certificate issued by the provincial government.
Due time has been given for compliance and vehicles entering from other provinces must also obtain a fitness certificate from Sindh, he added.
The minister also stressed that, as per the law, no vehicle can leave a showroom unless it is registered. Showrooms violating this rule after Monday will be sealed, and their vehicles will be confiscated, warned Memon.
Imported vehicles destined for other provinces will also have to be transported via specialised trucks designed to transport vehicles, the minister added.
He stated that complaints had been received about the Excise Department not issuing number plates. The minister, however, clarified that the department currently has 80,000 number plates that vehicle owners have not collected.
He further said that the Karachi Water and Sewerage Cooperation (KWSC) has issued barcodes for water tankers to verify their fitness, adding that any unregistered tankers or those without the relevant barcode will not be allowed to operate.
Additionally, the timing for dumper trucks in Karachi has been revised. Previously, their permitted hours were from 11pm to 6pm, but they will now be allowed on the roads only from 10pm to 6am. This decision has been made for the convenience of the public and transporters.
The move comes in response to the recent surge in traffic accidents in Karachi, where collisions involving dumpers and water tankers have resulted in around 100 fatalities.
