KISHTWAR, JULY 14: On the directions of Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar Pankaj Kumar Sharma, the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) Kishtwar, under supervision of ARTO Tasleem Wani, today conducted a surprise enforcement drive near Government Industrial Training Institute (ITI) Kishtwar.

During the naka checking, Motor Vehicle Inspector (MVI) Imran Choudhary led the inspection team and seized 15 electric auto-rickshaws (e-autos) for operating without mandatory fare meters, in violation of Motor Vehicles Rules.

The enforcement drive was launched to ensure public transport operators adhere to prescribed norms and to safeguard passengers from arbitrary fare charges. The absence of fare meters often leads to disputes over fares and causes inconvenience to commuters.

The department reiterated that installing and using functional fare meters is mandatory for public transport vehicles wherever applicable, and strict action will continue against violators.

Vehicle owners and drivers were advised to comply with all legal requirements, including proper documentation and mandatory safety standards, to avoid penalties and seizure of vehicles.

The department further appealed to commercial vehicle operators to follow traffic and transport regulations in letter and spirit, and said similar enforcement drives will continue to improve transparency, discipline and passenger safety in the public transport system.

The department also urged commuters to cooperate with enforcement agencies and report violations related to overcharging, absence of mandatory documents or other transport-related irregularities.