Sand Lorry owners seek exemption from mandatory tracking device, urge fine settlement scheme

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu State Sand Lorry Owner’s Federation has urged the State government to exempt goods and light commercial vehicles from the recent directive mandating the installation of Vehicle Location Tracking Devices (VLTD) on all public transport vehicles.

In a letter to the Transport Minister, federation president S Yuvaraj said the objective of ensuring passenger safety was fully acknowledged and supported. “We welcome the fitting of VLTDs on passenger vehicles,” he wrote, recalling that the measure stemmed from the nationwide safety reforms introduced after the 2012 Delhi gang-rape case. “However, extending the requirement to all goods and light vehicles serves no purpose and appears to have a purely economic motive.”

Yuvaraj pointed out that commercial vehicles already carry GPRS equipment for location monitoring. Requiring an additional VLTD, he said, was unnecessary and amounted to an undue financial burden. He called on the Transport Commissioner to review the order after consulting representatives of motor associations across the State. “Issuing such directives without stakeholder discussions is undemocratic,” he added.

The Commissionerate of Transport and Road Safety has called for Expressions of Interest (EOI) from manufacturers of VLTD for installation in public transport vehicles across the State by October 22. The EOI specifies that the mandate will apply to buses, school buses, stage carriages, All India Tourist Permit vehicles, private service vehicles, all types of taxis, maxi cabs, and goods carriers including water tankers and petroleum tankers, except vehicles not covered by permit. The Transport Department has retained the option of including other categories of vehicles under the scheme in line with prevailing rules.

The federation also pressed the government to address long-pending traffic fines imposed through the State’s online penalty system. According to the letter, hundreds of crores of rupees remain unpaid, with penalties often based only on vehicle registration numbers and monthly enforcement targets. Citing Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh as examples, Yuvaraj urged Tamil Nadu to allow settlement of these dues at 50 per cent of the levied amount through a compound fine or Lok Adalat-type mechanism. “We are willing to pay if such a concession is announced,” the federation said.