Difficulties are increasing for young people in the state of Uttarakhand who work as delivery personnel on private motorcycles with personal license plates. The Transport Department is preparing to take action against individuals using personal motorcycles for commercial activities within services such as Rapido, Zomato, Swiggy, and other platforms.
According to the department, using a personal vehicle for commercial purposes constitutes a violation of traffic rules. In Dehradun, thousands of couriers could potentially fall under this inspection.
According to the Transport Department's data, if a vehicle is used for commercial activity, it must comply with all requirements, including commercial registration, tax payments, permits, and technical condition certificates. The department asserts that this practice harms vehicle owners who comply with regulations and pay the appropriate fees for commercial transport.
Previously, the Transport Department had already intensified checks on private vehicles used for passenger transport. Over one hundred two-wheeled vehicles have already been confiscated in Dehradun. Following this, the focus of inspections will shift to private motorcycles involved in delivering food, parcels, and household goods.
According to Deputy Transport Commissioner Shailesh Tiwari, conducting commercial activities on a personal motorcycle or car does not meet established standards. He emphasized that the department does not object if companies use commercial vehicles to provide services. However, if commercial activity is conducted on a private vehicle, measures will be taken in accordance with the Motor Vehicles Act.
Thus, a motorcycle currently under review may come under the department's close attention if it is used for commercial purposes through platforms. Although previous checks mainly targeted private vehicles related to passenger transport, the department plans to begin inspecting vehicles related to delivery in the near future.
When checking cases of passenger transport on private vehicles, the Transport Department also utilizes applications provided by the services. According to officials, the department itself conducts bookings through the apps to identify four-wheeled vehicles. When the vehicle arrives at the location, its documents and operational condition are checked. Appropriate sanctions are applied upon detection of violations.
The department notes that the applications are merely intermediaries between the passenger and the vehicle owner. Nevertheless, if a private vehicle is used for commercial purposes, measures will be taken against the owner. This initiative shows that the department is examining not only the service provided through the app but also the category of the vehicle and its commercial use. It is based on this that private motorcycles used for delivering food and goods will now be monitored.
According to the Transport Department, initial checks are focused on passenger transport using private vehicles. Subsequently, private motorcycles used for delivering food, parcels, and household goods for companies like Zomato, Swiggy, and others will be inspected. The department intends to send notifications to the relevant companies to ascertain what categories of vehicles couriers use on their platforms. If violations are found, measures may be taken against both the vehicle owner and the company itself.
Shailesh Tiwari reiterated that the commercial use of private vehicles violates the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act. He added that the department does not object to businesses operating using commercial transport, but will act against those engaged in commercial activity on a private motorcycle or car. Violating vehicles are confiscated, and notifications are sent to companies. The inspection will also extend to private vehicles used for delivering food and goods.
The proposed measures by the Transport Department have caused concern among youth engaged in the delivery sector. Couriers note that it is convenient for them to work on their personal motorcycles since the vehicle is already theirs. They state that their earnings have already decreased, and if penalties are now imposed for using a personal motorcycle for delivery, their expenses may increase. They also express concern that the disappearance of the option to work on personal transport will make delivery extremely difficult.
Currently, the first phase of the Transport Department's actions covers passenger transport in private cars. This will be followed by an inspection of private motorcycles involved in the delivery of food, parcels, and household goods. Thus, thousands of young people in Dehradun and other parts of Uttarakhand who use motorcycles with personal numbers for delivery await further steps from the Transport Department.