Home Department

(Motor Vehicles Acts -  Administration)

POLICY NOTE - 2002- 2003

DEMAND No. 24

1.  IMPORTANCE OF ROAD TRANSPORT 

A good, safe and sustainable Transport System is fundamental to the well being of every citizen as well as the economic growth of the country. Economic development requires an efficient transport system.  It is central to the lives of people.     Road Transport affects every one, every day in many ways. Road transport services are used for travel to work, to school, to shops, to go on holiday leisure and more particularly when essential commodities are moved.

 In this context, it is not only essential to provide an adequate number of services on the road but all modes of Transport  have to be  coordinated, regulated and synchronized  to ensure free, smooth, safe and regulated travel.  Transport Department under the overall control of the Transport Commissioner, his Joint and  Deputy Transport Commissioners and through the network of offices of Regional Transport Officers and Motor Vehicle Inspectors, has therefore,  to grant licences to competent drivers, check the fitness of vehicles, grant permits to commercial vehicles, fix fare for stage carriages, regulate movement of vehicles on road, check automobile pollution etc.

 Being a service oriented and regulatory organisation dealing with the public, the Department is committed to provide high quality service, manage State revenue collection and enforce road transport regulations diligently and efficiently. These objectives are realised  through enforcement of statutory and non statutory regulations besides computerisation and other forms of modernisation.  

2. ORGANISATIONAL   SET UP           

The Transport Department is headed by the Transport Commissioner and functions under the administrative control of Home Department of the Government.  The Transport Commissioner is also the State Transport Authority of Tamil Nadu. In Chennai City, the Joint Transport Commissioner (City) is the Regional Transport Authority while in the Districts, the Collectors are the Regional Transport Authorities.  Appeals and Revision petitions against the orders of Regional Transport Authority and State Transport Authority are considered by the State Transport Appellate Tribunal, Chennai. The organisational structure and administrative set up of the Transport Department is given in Annexure I & II. 

3. FUNCTIONS           

The Transport Department is administering the provisions of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1974, Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles Taxation Rules, 1974 and Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989.  The main functions of the department are:

1. §         Registration of Motor Vehicles
   §         Grant  of permits to Transport Vehicles
   §         Issue of driving and conductor licences
   §         Inspection of accident vehicles
   §         Collection of Tax and Fees
   §         Control of pollution due to the emission by Motor Vehicles
   §         Besides these activities, the department is also implementing the Mini Bus Scheme and coordinating Road Safety measures 

4. NUMBER OF VEHICLES IN TAMIL NADU

            The number of vehicles in the State has been increasing very fast.  The following statement reflects this clearly: 

  Vehicle position in Tamil Nadu  as on 1.1.2002:

 State Transport Undertakings
(Stage Carriages)                                                     16,837
Private(Stage Carriages)                                             5,705
Goods Carriages (Total)                                         1,93,462
Goods Carriages (National Permit)                            29,387   
Omni Buses (State wide Permits)                                 299
Omni Buses (All India Permits)                                     151
Motor Cabs (State wide Permits)                              32,560
Motor Cabs (All India permits)                                    4,487
Maxi Cabs (State wide permits)                               24,352
Maxi Cabs (All India Permits)                                      898
Motor Cabs (plying within the                                   1,114
    cities and towns ) 
Autorickshaws                                                   1,11,752
    (Registered in the State)                              
Autorickshaws
    (Registered in Chennai alone)                            38,181
Mini Buses                                                            4,023
Other vehicles (Two Wheelers etc.)                   51,26,772 

5. REVENUE 

      The revenue of the Department has been increasing year by year, the revenue during 2001-2002 being Rs.625 crores.

 6. TAXATION

The system of levying tax has been rationalised from time to time.  The basis of taxation varies from one class of vehicle to other, depending on the use, public utility etc.  The Government are empowered to levy tax under the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1974.  The following is the mode of taxation: