With the spurt in COVID-19 cases, the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) has intensified the checking of travellers arriving from other States and motor vehicles entering the State through various border check-posts.
Thermal scanners are being used to check the temperature of the travellers moving through the check-posts. The MVD personnel are allowing only vehicles that adhere to the norms prescribed in the May 22 letter of the Health and Family Welfare Department.
Besides, it is being ensured that the vehicles crossing over to the State have sanitisers, gloves, and masks and maintain a COVID-19 log book with details of the journey from the beginning of the trip till the end.
The registration number of the vehicle, the name of the registered owner, contact number of the owner and driver, details of all the travellers, place of commencement of the journey, and the final destination are being entered into the COVID Vehicle Movement Register at each check- post. The MVD personnel at the check-posts will cross-check the details with the vehicle documents and identity cards.
In the case of goods vehicle, the crew will have to maintain a register with details like name of the driver and cleaner, date of carrying out COVOD-19 tests, mobile phone numbers, place of commencement of journey, destination, goods being carried, loading and unloading details, and halts en route. The register needs to be sealed at the check-post by the designated officer on entering the State and on exit.
The details of the goods vehicles coming from other States will also be collected by the enforcement wing personnel of the MVD from the markets and trading centres.
Additional shift
In addition to the existing personnel on duty at the check-posts, those from the enforcement wing will be pooled to increase the strength of the MVD staff for creating three additional shifts at the busy check-posts of Amaravila, Aryankavu, Kumily, Walayar, Gopalapura, Iritty, Muthanga, and Manjeshwaram.
A control room has been set up at the Transport Commissionerate, Transtowers here, with Motor Vehicle Inspector S. Mahesh as the nodal officer (mobile numbers 9446033314, 9447222127). State Transport Commissioner M.R. Ajith Kumar has asked the Deputy Transport Commissioners and the Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) to ensure that the norms are followed and to carry out checks at check-posts, district borders, and toll booths.