Himachal Pradesh Asks MoRTH to Allow Manual Fitness Tests as ATS Protests Disrupt Transport
ATS-only vehicle testing is causing chaos in Kangra. Long distances, delays, and rising costs have drivers protesting.
Hill terrain, a single ATS in one corner of Kangra district, and 100-kilometre detours have pushed transport operators to the breaking point.
Taxi drivers in Kangra are not protesting against fitness testing. They are protesting against having to drive more than 100 kilometres and wait up to six hours just to get one done. For an owner-operator hauling passengers through mountain roads on thin daily margins, that's a working day gone.
The Himachal Pradesh government has now formally written to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), asking for permission to continue manual vehicle fitness testing through RTOs and Motor Vehicle Inspectors while the ATS rollout gets sorted.
Why Operators Are Refusing to Accept the April 1 ATS-Only Mandate
MoRTH directed that from April 1, 2026, vehicle fitness certificates would only be issued through Automated Testing Stations. RTOs and MVIs were out of the picture. No manual testing, no exceptions.
On paper, this made sense. In Kangra district, it did not work.
The only ATS serving Kangra sits at Rani Tal. Reaching it from far-flung parts of the district means clocking well over a hundred kilometres one way. Then comes the wait, often six hours at the centre, with results taking up to a week. The vehicle stays off the road until the certificate arrives.
For small operators, taxi unions and private bus owners, this is a practical shutdown, not a reform.
What the State Actually Wants from the Centre
Himachal Pradesh is not asking MoRTH to reverse the ATS policy. The formal request is narrower: allow commercial vehicles in Kangra to get fitness certificates through RTOs and MVIs for now, until the ATS infrastructure is in place and accessible.
A government spokesperson said practical difficulties specific to hill regions were cited in the communication to the ministry. The request is pending review at MoRTH.
Manual fitness testing and certificate issuance have already been stopped across all 14 registering and licensing authorities in Kangra district following MoRTH's directive. The state wants that halted temporarily.
Fee Disputes Piling On Top of Access Problems
Transport operators are not just fighting the distance. They're also contesting what they're being charged at ATS centres.
Under the revised Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, fitness testing fees run from Rs 400 to Rs 1,500 depending on vehicle age, with GST and state charges added on top. Older vehicles pay more. Operators say the amounts being collected at ATS centres are higher than what the official schedule says.
That kind of gap between what the government announces and what happens on the ground tends to fuel strikes more than the policy itself.
The ATS Network Is Still Getting Built
New stations are in the works across Himachal Pradesh. Private investment is going into ATS at Kangra, Mandi, Bilaspur, Solan and Nalagarh. Government-run centres are coming up at Haroli (Una), Nadaun (Hamirpur) and Baddi (Solan).
None of this is complete yet.
Running an ATS-only mandate before the network can actually absorb the load was always going to cause friction. In a state with HP's geography, the friction is sharper.
Other States Have Pushed Back Too
This is not a Himachal problem. Transport unions in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have raised the same objections. Gujarat took a different call and let operators choose between ATS and MVI testing. Himachal Pradesh is asking for exactly that option from the Centre.
MoRTH's response here will matter beyond just Kangra. Several states are watching whether the ministry holds the line or gives room where ATS coverage is genuinely thin.
What You Should Do Right Now if Your Vehicle Is Due for Fitness Testing in HP
If your commercial vehicle's fitness certificate is expiring in Kangra district, do not assume the RTO route is available again just yet. The state has asked for the exemption. MoRTH has not granted it.
Until there is an official communication allowing manual testing, you will need to book your slot at the ATS. Track MoRTH's response through the state transport department's official channels before your certificate lapses and your vehicle is grounded.
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