Uniform must for Gurgaon transport dept officials to check vehicles

Haryana transport department has made it mandatory for all its officials to wear prescribed uniforms. It has also stated that officials cannot check any vehicle if they aren’t wearing a uniform.

On Thursday, the state government notified the Haryana Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Rules, 2016, making it mandatory for transport department officials to wear uniform.

The uniform includes khaki coloured trousers, shirt, cap, turban, socks, brown shoes and belt, RTA issued badges, and a ahoulder insignia with ‘HP’ (Haryana Parivahan) written in Hindi.

The move holds relevance in Gurgaon where over fifty thousand private cabs ply. Also, there have been cases in the past of impersonators during Regional Transport Authority (RTA). Sometimes, even RTA officials have been impersonated.

Earlier this month, Gurgaon police arrested two brothers for impersonation after they allegedly swapped places during a driving test to get a licence.

Last month, the NCR Motor Cab Scheme, 2016, was initiated, replacing the Radio Cab Scheme of 2006.

As per the new scheme, app-based cabs and private taxi operators plying in other NCR cities that enter Haryana will have to get fresh permits. Cabs registered in New Delhi or NCR districts of Uttar Pradesh will have to approach the Faridabad RTA and get a counter-approval from Haryana transport department.

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RTA officials have been claiming that many cab drivers approached them complaining of officials penalizing them for plying without the new permit. However, when cross-checked no records of the same were found in the RTA data.

“RTA officials have been suspecting of impersonators making money or its officials not submitting the requisite penalty fee. Hence, the direction of making it mandatory for officials to wear transport department issued uniforms will curb such incidents,” said Gurgaon RTA secretary Tirlok Chand.