The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has identified major operational and regulatory lapses in Assam’s Transport Department, pointing to systemic weaknesses, poor monitoring and significant revenue leakage.
The audit report, tabled in the Assam Assembly, reviewed the functioning of District Transport Offices (DTOs) under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 for the period from 2019 to 2024. The findings indicate that non-compliance with rules and inadequate oversight affected several core activities of the department, one of the state’s key revenue earners.
The CAG observed serious irregularities in the issuance of learner’s and driving licences. About 7.85 per cent of the licences examined did not have driving test dates recorded, raising concerns over whether mandatory driving tests were conducted. In several instances, an unusually high number of candidates were shown as tested in a single day, suggesting procedural lapses.
The report also highlighted the absence of Accredited Driving Training Centres in the state, resulting in DTOs conducting driving tests without standardised infrastructure and leading to incomplete assessments in multiple districts.
On the revenue front, the audit pointed to non-compliance in weighbridge licensing and inspections under the Central and Assam Motor Vehicles Rules, leading to an estimated revenue loss of ₹22.38 crore.
The CAG further found delays ranging from one day to 1,417 days in vehicle registration at dealers’ points in selected districts. Around 35 per cent of registered vehicles lacked properly linked address proof. Additionally, conversion from temporary to permanent registration was delayed in 1,23,102 vehicles between 2019 and 2024.
In another significant finding, 55 out of 72 sampled migrated vehicles remained registered simultaneously in two states, creating taxation discrepancies. The audit noted that failure to impose penalties in 4,200 delayed reassignment cases resulted in a revenue loss of ₹6.42 crore.
Cross-verification of the VAHAN database revealed that 15,849 vehicles across the Northeast had identical chassis and engine numbers. Of these, 12,112 vehicles were registered in Assam without the mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC), which the CAG termed irregular.
The report also underscored acute manpower shortages in the Transport Department, with vacancies ranging between 30 per cent and 57 per cent. The shortfall, the audit said, has adversely affected enforcement and regulatory efficiency amid a rapid rise in the state’s vehicle population.
The CAG recommended strengthening driving test infrastructure, bringing weighbridges fully under the licensing framework, and improving monitoring of driving schools and pollution testing centres. It also called for tighter integration of tax, fitness, insurance and permit databases to enhance compliance and road safety oversight.
The state government is expected to examine the findings and initiate corrective measures.
- Log in to post comments
