New Delhi, June 27: The Delhi Transport Minister, Mr. Parvez Hashmi, announced today that the Pollution Control and the Vehicle Inspection Divisions of the State Transport Authority have been decentralised as part of a simplification drive for commercial vehicle owners.

Mr. Hashmi told reporters that these measures implemented for the first time in the country, will also help root out corruption in the department.

He said it was no longer mandatory for commercial vehicles to be taken to Burari for annual fitness inspections. Instead, the job has been entrusted to over 400 private pollution checking centres, which have now been authorised to issue certificates. The staff at the Pollution Control Division will be utilised for enforcement work and checking of vehicles.

In a significant move to reduce corruption and for the convenience of vehicle owners, it has also been decided that fitness certificates to new taxis and autos will be provided by authorised automobile company dealers. The certificates were earlier issued by the Vehicle Inspection Unit in Burari. The certificates for older vehicles will be issued at Loni Road, Sarai Kale Khan and Anand Vihar by September end.

"We have been getting frequent complaints from vehicle owners about corruption in the department. It was also found that taking advantage of the rush, certain people extracted money from vehicle owners to get their job done expeditiously. This move will help reduce such incidents," Mr. Hashmi said.

Owners of commercial vehicles, he said, require an up-to-date Tax Clearance Report only once in a year for getting various services from the Transport Department. The Department has also proposed to collect a onetime motor vehicle tax from taxis and autorickshaws. "This will help reduce rush at the counters," said Mr. Hashmi. However, in the light of heavy tax to be paid by bus owners, these have to be submitted on an annual basis.

Mr. Hashmi said his Ministry has also proposed the setting up of a state of the art Motor Driving Training School in Burari, which will issue certificates to eligible drivers. A proposal for decentralisation of registration of autorickshaws and taxies in zonal offices situated at Loni Road, Sarai Kale Khan and Anand Vihar was also under consideration. The Government is also planning to set up a state-of-art Inspection and Certification Centre at Burari in collaboration with an institution of international repute to ensure proper inspection of vehicles. Providing facility for self registration to manufactures and dealers of private vehicles is also in the pipeline.