Patna, Sept 6: The Bihar Transport Department has simplified the registration process for new-model vehicles, doing away with the requirement for vehicle manufacturers to obtain separate approval from the department headquarters before registering such vehicles.
The decision, which has come into effect immediately, is expected to make the registration process faster and more convenient for vehicle manufacturers and dealers operating in the state.
According to an order issued by the Transport Department, registration of new-model vehicles can now be carried out on the basis of a type approval certificate issued by a central agency authorised under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.
Under the revised procedure, vehicle manufacturing companies will have to submit the type approval certificate along with Form-22 issued by the authorised central agency. Once the required documents are submitted, the District Transport Officer (DTO) concerned will proceed with the issuance of trade certificates and registration of the vehicles in accordance with the prescribed rules.
The manufacturers will no longer be required to approach the Transport Department headquarters for separate or integrated registration approval for each new vehicle model.
The department’s order effectively decentralises the registration process by allowing district-level authorities to act on the basis of the certification already issued by the authorised central agency.
The order states that for new-model vehicles, type approval certificates are issued by central agencies authorised under the provisions of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, and further action can be taken on the basis of such certificates.
The move is expected to particularly benefit automobile manufacturers and dealers by reducing procedural requirements and eliminating an additional layer of approval at the state headquarters level.
The Transport Department has taken the decision in accordance with provisions contained in a letter issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on November 24, 2020.
The latest directive also provides that letters and orders issued earlier in connection with the registration procedure will be treated as amended to the extent required to bring them in line with the new system.
The department’s decision comes amid efforts to streamline government procedures and facilitate ease of doing business for the automobile sector. With the headquarters-level approval requirement removed, manufacturers and dealers are expected to be able to complete registration formalities through the prescribed district-level process without waiting for a separate clearance from the state transport headquarters.
Officials at the district level will now be responsible for processing registrations after verifying the type approval certificate and Form-22 submitted by the manufacturers.
The revised system, therefore, places greater emphasis on the certification issued by authorised central agencies and eliminates duplication in the approval process at the state level.
For vehicle manufacturers introducing new models in Bihar, the change is likely to reduce paperwork, shorten procedural delays and make it easier to bring newly approved vehicles into the registration system.
The department has directed that the new procedure be followed with immediate effect, marking a significant change in the way registration of new-model vehicles is processed across the state.
