Cuttack: An ambulance has been providing service to local patients for over last nine years sans a fitness certificate, thereby grossly violating the norms prescribed for motor vehicles.
According to a source, the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC)-owned vehicle plies on the city roads carrying persons in critical condition, when the patients count on every moment. The ambulance, even to the extent, has no pollution under control (PUC) certificate, the source added.
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The ambulance (Tata Winger bearing registration number OR-05 AL-7420) was registered in 2010, September 25, information collected from mParivahan app stated. In the mean while, fitness certificate of the vehicle expired in 2012, September 23.
Interestingly, the vehicle wears an inscription ‘Swarga Rath’ on its front side and ‘Ambulance’ on its rear side.
On being contacted, CMC assistant engineer Shravan Kumar Mohanty said, “The ambulance is being used in emergent situations for carrying bodies of Covid-19 deceased persons to local cemeteries. As there has been acute shortage of vehicles for the purpose, the ambulance is being put to use by the civic body.”
Similarly, giving his views to OrissaPost on this sensitive issue, Cuttack regional transport officer (RTO) Sanjay Behera said, “We came to learn about it through you now. The RTO Office will write a letter to CMC authorities in this regard, asking them to update requisite documents of all their vehicles including fitness certificate, PUC certificate and insurance certificate as well.”
As the RTO officials impose heavy penalties on Cuttack denizens for flouting motor-vehicle norms, how the civic body is being spared in such a situation, many local intelligentsias questioned.
PNN
