Kozhikode: The Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has stopped accepting fitness certificate applications from Regional Transport (RTO) offices in six districts of Kerala. Even if vehicle details are submitted, the payment process has been blocked.

The directive stems from the Centre’s strict order, issued over a year and a half ago, that fitness testing must be conducted entirely through automated systems. However, state authorities have repeatedly failed to take the matter seriously, according to officials from the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD).

Currently, there are nine automated fitness centres in the state, located in Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Kozhikode, Kannur, and Kasaragod. Of these, six had been operational earlier but have since been shut down because the operating agency, Keltron, was not paid its dues. As a result, the RTOs in these districts are unable to issue fitness certificates.

Currently, transport vehicle owners, including school bus operators, are in a fix because the Parivahan portal does not allow payment for fitness certificates. Applicants visiting the district RTOs are being directed to sub-RTO offices, where certificates are still issued under the old manual fees remitting system.

It is mandated that all transport vehicles undergo automated fitness testing from April 1.

Due to these restrictions, tenders are underway to set up 19 new automated fitness centres across the state.However, officials say that it will take at least six months to complete the work.

Transport operators are concerned that if they travel to other states with certificates issued under the manual inspection method, they may be fined by authorities outside Kerala.