The light duty vehicles purchased by the Coimbatore Corporation.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The 105 vehicles acquired for solid waste management by the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) that were flagged off in May are yet to be put to public use. Civic body claims the vehicles are yet to be registered with the regional transport office.
The 105 light duty vehicles acquired for ₹7.86 crore under the Corporation’s general funds were launched on May 8 by Minister for Municipal Administration K.N. Nehru and Minister V. Senthilbalaji at the VOC Grounds, a press release said. The Ministers also flagged off the 100 battery-operated vehicles worth ₹2.53 crore the same day.
The registration of these vehicles is to be done by the RTO officials, Commissioner M. Prathap told reporters recently.
At present, 105 drivers have also been appointed by the civic body for operating these vehicles. Once the approval is given, the vehicles will be put to use immediately, he added.
An official in the Central RTO said that the approval could be pending as authorities will need to check the pollution norms as prescribed by the Union Government. Followed by this, a nod from the Central RTO will be given for all the vehicles, he added.
Another source said that such a proposal has not reached the RTO, so far.
K. Kathirmathiyon of Coimbatore Consumer Cause said the Corporation must appeal to the State Government to expedite the approval process.
“In other municipalities such as Pollachi and Mettupalayam and rural areas, such vehicles have been given approval and have been deployed for public use,” he said.