Thiruvananthapuram: Regulations stipulate that if defects are detected in vehicles presented for fitness inspections, officers must record the issues on the fitness renewal form and instruct the owner to resubmit the vehicle after rectifying them. However, certain officials within the Motor Vehicles Department deliberately reject vehicles without documenting the defects, subsequently granting fitness certificates once the vehicles are re-submitted through intermediaries.

The discretionary power exercised by officials in determining vehicle fitness creates scope for such bribery and irregularities. If defects are formally recorded, fitness can only be granted after they are cleared. During morning inspection sessions, vehicles are examined in batches, and those with defects are publicly turned away. By afternoon, the files for these rejected vehicles are routed through intermediaries to secure fitness approvals.

Bribe money for fitness testing is pooled collectively. If any officers refuse to accept bribes, they are excluded from the distribution process. The secret code used for this pooled fund is ‘TR 6’. Trusted intermediaries handle the collection of these amounts, and their applications are identified via authorisation letters.

TR 7 for taking risks

Beyond routine payoffs, officers who approve fitness for vehicles with severe non-compliance receive individual compensation for taking the risk. This amount is not shared among the team. Rates escalate depending on the violation, such as disconnecting speed governors, failing to calibrate GPS systems, passing vehicles in poor mechanical condition, or ignoring illegal modifications. The code for these high-risk approvals is ‘TR 7’.

Slab rates for bribes

Fitness inspections are required every two years for vehicles up to eight years old and annually thereafter. Although official government fees remain uniform, bribe amounts vary based on the vehicle category, though some upright officers in the department refuse to accept them. The going rates for bribes range from ₹150 for auto-rickshaws to up to ₹2,000 for buses.