ARAI to inspect and certify cars in India

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has trusted upon the ARAI the job of developing ten centres, including one in the state, for inspection and maintenance (I&M) certification of vehicles in the country.

This means you may soon have to get your vehicles certified by the ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India) before you can take to Indian streets.

How will it affect you?

The certification given by these centres will soon be made mandatory before driving on Indian roads. The centres are likely to be functional by the end of 2012 and will be accountable for annual technical inspection and maintenance of vehicles in the country.

“ARAI had sent a proposal for these centres to the Ministry around a year-and-a-half ago. The proposal was accepted recently after several presentations and ARAI has been asked to develop 10 centres across the country,” Shrikant Marathe, Director, ARAI was quoted by the Indian express as saying. He added that “the cities where these centres will come up have not been finalized yet.”

Where will these centres be?

It is being speculated that five of these centres will be built and operated by ARAI for a year in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat respectively.

The other five centres will be developed by the ARAI and the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) together.

ARAI will be responsible for raising the centres, development of software and networking.

“These centres will test the suspension, engine emissions, brake balance, lights, steering wheel and underbody,” Marathe said.

He added that these tests will be done by machines while the under-body inspection of the vehicle for rust and other damages will be done manually.

How will the centres work?

ARAI has formed a special team for building these centres and will be equipped to inspect 300-350 vehicles a day at each centre. It seems like the government is finally addressing issues of traffic and related issues.

The government had earlier also proposed to levy congestion charges on vehicles entering the capital during peak hours. Related: Delhi government may levy congestion charges on vehicles

An amount of between Rs 10-12 crore as been set aside by the government for each of these centres. The centres will initially inspect commercial vehicles, followed by passenger cars and then perhaps two-wheelers.

“The I&M certification may seem binding on the public, but it is necessary to control pollution. The percentage of old vehicles is much more as against new ones that follow the BS IV norms. These centres would help in curbing pollution from old vehicles,” Marathe said.