Over 400 vehicle emission testing centres in state closed due to shortage of hologram stickers

BENGALURU: Vehicle owners in the state are facing a new problem. They have been struggling to get emission tests done for their vehicles for the past one-and-half months.

There are 2,650 air pollution testing centers in the state, but around 400 of them have been closed for the past one-and-half months due to a shortage of hologram stickers. The hologram stickers are mandatory for air pollution testing certificates.

The president of the Karnataka State Emission Testing Centre Owners’ Association, Yogesh, has appealed to the Transport Commissioner and the minister to provide the hologram stickers. He said that the vehicle owners are facing problems in getting fitness certificates, renewing insurance, and are being fined by the police for not having emission test certificates.

Yogesh told Public TV, “There are 2,650 emission test centres in the state and 880 in Bengaluru. I have already submitted a representation to the minister, commissioner and other officials concerned. The hologram stickers are not available for about two months and 400-500 have shut down. Tenders have been called, but hologram stickers are not available. Also, vehicles are being fined Rs 10,000 in other states as the state is not on M-Parivahan. This should be done soon”.

The government uses hologram stickers to prevent duplication of registration certificate, driving licence and HSRP, and to increase security. However, the shortage of hologram stickers is causing problems for vehicle owners.

Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has said that tenders have been called for hologram stickers and the problem will be resolved soon. The Vahan-4 system is also expected to be updated in April, which will help resolve the issue, he said.

Speaking to Public TV, minister Ramalinga Reddy said, “Since all states are migrating to Vahan-4 by April, it is wrong for other states to penalise vehicle owners. Once the migration is complete, such problems will not arise. The emission test centres can still issue certificates without the hologram”.