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Kerala Motor Vehicles Department
Law enforcement agency From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Kerala Motor Vehicles Department, colloquially known as the MVD, is an agency under the Transport Department of the Government of Kerala. It is primarily responsible for enforcing the Central Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and its associated rules and regulations within the state. The department is administered by the Transport Commissioner who is the Head of the Department. The current Transport Commissioner is Shri Nagaraju Chakilam, IPS.[1]
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Organization
Summarize
Perspective
Transport commissionerate
The Kerala MVD functions under the provisions of Section 213 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The headquarters of the Motor Vehicles Department, known as the Transport Commissionerate, is situated in Thiruvananthapuram.
The Motor Vehicles Department is headed by the Transport Commissioner, typically an IPS officer of the rank of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP). The current Transport Commissioner is S Sreejith IPS. The Transport Commissioner is assisted by the Additional Transport Commissioner, Joint Transport Commissioners and Deputy Transport Commissioners.[4] At the Head Office, one Additional Transport Commissioner, two Joint Transport Commissioners, one Senior Deputy Transport Commissioners, one Assistant Transport Commissioner, and other ministerial and administrative officials assist the Transport Commissioner.
Zonal offices
There are four zonal offices headed by Deputy Transport Commissioners (Dy TCs).
Regional Transport Offices (RTOs)
The MVD has two functional wings: Enforcement Wing and Administration Wing. The 14 Regional Transport Offices (RTO) provides and adminster Driving Licence, Vehicle Registration Certificate, Vehicle Permit, Vehicle Fitness, and related, etc. while the Enforcement Wings headed by RTO (Enforcement) specially designated to the enforcement of the Motor Vehicles Act and accident investigation, road safety campaigns. There 14 Regional Transport Offices, headed by RTOs and several Sub regional Transport Offices headed by Joint Regional Transport Officers (JRTOs.)[5]
Sub regional Transport Offices
Sub-regional Transport Offices are headed by joint regional transport officers (JRTOs). There are 68 SRTO offices across in the state.
Hierarchy
- Transport Commissioner (TC) (IPS Cadre)
- Additional Transport Commissioner (Addl.TC)
- Joint Transport Commissioner (Jt.TC)
- Senior Deputy Transport Commissioner
- Deputy Transport Commissioner (Dy.TC)
- Regional Transport Officer/Assistant Transport Commissioner (RTO/ATC)
- Joint Regional Transport Officer (Jt.RTO)
- Motor Vehicles Inspector (MVI)
- Assistant Motor Vehicles Inspector (AMVI)
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Functions and responsibilities
- Enforcement of the Motor Vehicles Act and related rules and regulations in the state.
- Issuence of Driving Licence, Vehicle Registration Certificate, Fitness certificate, etc..
- Enforcement of traffic laws, motor vehicles laws
- Promotion of road safety education.
Hierarchy (Ranks)
- Transport Commissioner (IPS Cadre)
- Additional Transport Commissioner (Ex Cadre)
- Joint Transport Commissioner (Jt.TC)
- Senior Deputy Transport Commissioner (Sr.DyTC)
- Deputy Transport Commissioner (Dy.TC)
- Regional Transport Officer (RTO)/Assistant Transport Commissioner (ATC)
- Joint Regional Transport Officer (JRTO)
- Motor Vehicles Inspector (MVI)
- Assistant Motor Vehicles Inspector (AMVI)
In Media
Initiatives
Technological Advancements: AI Cameras (2023-Present)
In 2023, the Kerala Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) became the first transport department in India to implement a large-scale Artificial Intelligence (AI) camera system for traffic violation detection and road safety enforcement. This initiative, known as the "Safe Kerala" scheme, involved the installation of 726 cameras across the state. The AI cameras detect violations such as not wearing helmets and seat belts, overspeeding, careless driving, three people travelling on a two-wheeler among others.
Out of the total cameras, 692 were designated for automated fine imposition. During a trial run period, these cameras successfully identified a significant number of traffic violations. MVD officials reported capturing around 4.5 lakh violations, with some cameras detecting as many as 2,500 offenses daily. Following the official launch in April 2023, the number of violations captured by the cameras reportedly dropped to around 2 lakh per day, suggesting a positive impact on driver behavior.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12] [13][14]
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Controversies
In a recent dispute between the Kerala Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) and the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), tensions escalated after the MVD imposed a significant fine on a KSEB contract vehicle for various traffic violations. The fine was issued based on evidence captured by AI-powered traffic surveillance cameras. In retaliation, the KSEB reportedly cut power supply to MVD offices in certain regions, leading to disruptions in the department's operations. While the KSEB claimed the power cut was a routine procedure due to non-payment of bills, there were allegations that it was a deliberate act of retaliation.
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See also
- Government of Kerala
- Kerala Police
- Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Government of India
References
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