Hyderabad: The Telangana Road Transport Authority, stepping up surprise checks, has seized 96 vehicles over the past five days, including 20 on Friday and levied Rs 60 lakh penalties. Last week, the RTA had collected more than Rs 1 crore last week.
The inspections, conducted at Miyapur, Kukatpally, Bachupally and Balanagar caught many rule violators off-guard. In addition, an auction of fancy vehicle numbers by the RTA in Hyderabad and Secunderabad generated Rs 18,28,797. Notable auctioned numbers included TG10 9999 for Rs 6,00,999, TG10A0001 for Rs 3,60,000, TG10A0009 for Rs 2,61,126, TG10A0007 for Rs 1,61,999, and TG10A0005 for Rs 51,500.
Transport minister Ponnam Prabhakar instructed the RTA to target vehicles flouting regulations.
Of these, 36 were from other states operating beyond their permissible period, and two were electric vehicles registered in Andhra Pradesh, which exempts electric vehicles from life tax. Additionally, 58 goods vehicles were confiscated for failing to pay quarterly taxes.
E. Rahul Kumar, a motor vehicle inspector, stated, "Special teams were formed as per the officers' instructions. The seized vehicles are being held at RTC depots in Miyapur and Kukatpally, and will be returned to their owners once the formalities are completed."
