Maharashtra Vehicle Owners Struggle with Speed Limiting Device Certification

Commercial vehicle owners in Maharashtra are facing delays in renewing fitness certificates due to new requirements for Speed Limiting Device (SLD) information. Since changes to the Vahan system, the mandatory update of SLD details has caused significant frustration among transporters, causing delays, confusion, and allegations of fostering corruption.

Commercial vehicle owners across Maharashtra are grappling with challenges in renewing fitness certificates, particularly related to Speed Limiting Devices (SLD) on vehicles compliant with BS-IV and BS-VI emission norms.

The complications arose mid-August after modifications to the Vahan system—a national vehicle registration portal—and now mandate that commercial vehicles such as trucks, tempos, taxis, and buses provide SLD certificate details for fitness renewal.

Transporters and Regional Transport Office (RTO) officials have criticized the requirement as unnecessary and a potential breeding ground for corruption, forcing vehicle owners to seek help from dealers and RTO agents. The SLD regulation, part of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, mandates installing speed governors to limit speeds below 80 km/hr for commercial vehicles.