Keralam MVD to digitise vehicle inspections after autorickshaw driver’s death inquiry

The Kerala Transport department has announced plans to digitise vehicle inspections, replacing the current manual system. This decision comes after an inquiry into the tragic death of an autorickshaw driver in Malappuram, which is believed to be connected to a delay in clearing his vehicle's fitness test by the Motor Vehicles department (MVD).

The inquiry report found no evidence to support corruption charges leveled by the victim, but did highlight procedural lapses and requested an explanation from the MVD officer who conducted the fitness test. The Transport Minister, C.P. John, has ordered the Transport Secretary to seek this explanation within 15 days and recommend further action against the officer based on the explanation provided.

The report also noted that it cannot be assumed that the driver's death was solely due to MVD lapses, as the autorickshaw's fitness inspection was conducted by an Assistant Motor Vehicles Inspector on November 13, 2025. The vehicle had undergone unauthorized structural modifications, leading the officer to direct a re-examination after rectifying the defects.

However, the rejection of the application for fitness was not recorded in the Certificate of Fitness Rejection Report (CFRR) as required by the Kerala Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The report denied allegations that the Assistant Motor Vehicles Inspector denied fitness to the vehicle due to failure to pay a bribe or through an intermediary.

While there was no evidence of deliberate attempts to deny fitness for personal gain, the procedural lapse in not recording the rejection in the CFRR form warranted a show-cause notice and an explanation from the officer. The report recommends implementing a unique digital inspection ID for each vehicle inspection, conducting inspections through officer logins, preparing a digital checklist of defects, and enabling the upload of photos/videos of identified defects during the test.

Other recommendations include digitally authenticating the inspecting officer, recording online the status of the vehicle (passed, failed, or requiring re-inspection), notifying the applicant via SMS, WhatsApp, or online notifications, digitally preparing the CFRR and providing it to the applicant, offering an online facility to schedule re-inspection dates, displaying defects identified during inspection before each re-inspection, introducing a QR code/online tracking system, controlling middlemen involvement, and strengthening internal vigilance.