The Punjab government has made annual fitness certificates compulsory for all private vehicles across the province under new requirements for vehicle owners.
Under the new rule, private vehicle owners will have to get their vehicles inspected and obtain a fitness certificate every year. Vehicles found operating without a valid certificate may initially receive a challan, while repeated violations could result in the vehicle being seized.
The government has set the annual fitness certificate fee at between Rs500 and Rs2,000, depending on the vehicle category.
However, implementing the requirement could be challenging for vehicle owners because Punjab currently has only 13 fitness centers to inspect millions of vehicles across the province.
The limited number of testing centers could lead to long queues and delays, especially in major cities where the number of vehicles is significantly higher.
The new requirement is expected to encourage regular vehicle inspections and ensure that privately owned vehicles meet prescribed fitness and safety standards. However, vehicle owners may face additional costs and logistical difficulties when obtaining the certificates every year.
