Uttarakhand: Leader of Opposition Yashpal Arya alleges – Transport Department’s private fitness centres are extorting huge amounts

Yashpal Arya, Leader of Opposition, said that in Uttarakhand, the private fitness centres of the Transport Department are extorting heavily. Here, people are being extorted three times the prescribed fee. Not only this, this work has been handed over to a private company, which is charging fees arbitrarily. Drivers say that there is no set standard or procedure and there is lack of transparency in the entire process and small drivers are being harassed mentally and financially.

Arya said that the sudden and excessive increase has caused widespread concern and resentment among commercial and private vehicle owners. Vehicle owners want the fitness process to be under the government again and their local facility to be restored.

He said that in many places, earlier the fitness process was easily done in the local RTO office itself, but now that this work has gone into private hands, vehicle owners have to go to other cities. Going to another city for fitness means additional expenditure on diesel-petrol and wastage of the whole day’s time.

Arya said that due to the severe financial burden on commercial transport owners and private vehicle owners, transport will become more expensive for the common man and this will encourage corruption. Already the trade has become unstable due to the increase in operating costs due to rising prices of toll, tyres, fuel etc.

The Leader of Opposition said that the government should reconsider the proposed decision and withdraw it, otherwise the situation may go out of control, which may have a deep impact on the economy and supply chain.