Motor vehicle check posts in Kerala to operate only during day hours

Palakkad: The Kerala Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) has announced a significant change, with all 20 border check posts across the state now operating only during daylight hours, from 9 am to 5 pm. This decision comes amid growing concerns over corruption, particularly after a series of large seizures of undocumented cash at the Walayar and Velanthavalam check posts on the Tamil Nadu border. 

Recent vigilance operations have uncovered substantial sums of illegal cash, including Rs 1.61 lakh seized last week, and Rs 1.49 lakh and Rs 1.77 lakh in earlier seizures this January. Despite these efforts, corruption at these posts persisted. In response, Transport Commissioner Nagaraju Chakilam IPS visited the check posts and issued a stern warning to the staff.

The closure of check posts at night aims to curb corruption by reducing opportunities for wrongdoing. The move also involves reallocating excess staff to other departmental duties, such as handling driving tests and public services like Vahan and Sarathi registrations. Previously, over 30 employees worked in three shifts at the check posts, but this will be reduced to two employees working a single shift during the day, with only one Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspector (AMVI) and one office attendant remaining at the check post. These changes are expected to address staffing shortages in other areas, where delays have been common.

This revised schedule is part of a broader effort to streamline operations and tackle corruption. The department also plans to shift enforcement activities to other road locations during the night, though it has made it clear that these operations will not take place at the border areas.