NOCs for new vehicles after Patowary's order

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI, June 21: Vehicle dealers in the State are facing serious problems in selling newly launched vehicles as the State Transport department has not issued No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for such vehicles for the last three months. As per normal procedure, the vehicles newly launched by the companies, are allowed to be sold in the Assam market after a fitness test conducted by the Transport department. But to the utter dismay of vehicle dealers, the department has not issued NOCs for such vehicles for the last three months despite repeated pleas.   “As a result of this, vehicle dealers are suffering massive loss and at the same time the customers are also being deprived of procuring newly launched vehicles in the State,” sources said. A vehicle dealer on condition of anonymity alleged that the process of issuing NOC has been stopped due to ‘some persol interest’ of a section of top Transport department officials. Meanwhile, in a significant move, State Transport minister Chandramohan Patowary on Monday ordered the Transport Commissioner to instruct DTOs for issuing NOCs/approval to dealers for selling newly launched vehicles. Confirming the development, Transport Commissioner Molisha Goswami told The Sentinel, “Yes, we have asked the DTOs to take steps for issuing NOCs/approval to dealers after receiving instruction from the minister.”   
“Now the question is, will the Transport minister take action against officials responsible for halting the process of issuing NOCs for newly launched vehicles,” said a dealer.