The recommendations of the committee, headed by Mr S. Sunder, are diluting several clauses which were proposed in the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2007, says transport research body, Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training (IFTRT).
The issues include making the transport agents accountable for overloading of vehicles through a process of mandated registration.
For instance, the Sunder Committee calls for deleting the clause regarding registration of all firms engaged in transportation business. The Motor Vehicles Amendment (Bill) 2007 had proposed Government registration of all firms engaged in the transportation as common carriers.
IFTRT also states that the Sunder Committee recommendations, if accepted in toto , will let the common carriers off the hook from being accountable for overloading of vehicles.
The Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill, 2007 had suggested making the common carriers accountable for overloading.
These deviations from the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2007 are important because a Parliamentary committee has already pulled up the Road Transport and Highways Ministry for not implementing the Bill.
The Road Transport Ministry, in its annual report for 2008-09, had admitted that the Standing Committee recommendations were examined in detail and “a draft Cabinet Note for incorporation of certain modifications in the Bill was circulated to the Ministries concerned for their comments”.
However, later, the then Minister, Mr Kamal Nath, had set up a committee, headed by Mr S. Sunder to review the Act.