The government has created a new category called 'Omnibus' for 8-seater vehicles.

The Parivahan website has stopped registrations of 8-seaters as private vehicles. Reports suggest that the website is not allowing registration of such vehicles under individual names since May 22, 2023.

It means 8-seater vehicles can no longer be registered under the motor car category. Instead, the government has created a new category called 'Omnibus' for such vehicles. However, as per the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), Omnibus falls under the 'Transport' category, which requires the vehicle to have a fitness certificate every year.

The latest changes in the NIC database have put some customers of the Toyota Innova Hycross, Innova Crysta and the likes in a fix, as they are not able to register their vehicles. Reports also suggest that Toyota has already taken up the matter with the government.

Would this mean that going forward 8-seater MPVs like the Innova would be reserved for fleet operators, remains to be seen.

Thanks to BHPian Smashd for sharing this information with other enthusiasts!

MoRTH will perform screening, analysis and investigation of the vehicles and will announce a recall if required.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has launched a Vehicle Recall Portal on the Parivahan website, that enables users to register complaints about defects in their vehicles.

Once registered, users can submit complaints about faults in their vehicle, a specific component or software that may pose a risk to road safety or the environment. The complaint can be registered if the vehicle is within 7 years of purchase. Based on the complaints received, MoRTH will perform screening, analysis and investigation of the vehicles and will announce a recall if required.

There was a need for a centralized agency like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that would monitor, investigate and rectify defects in vehicles through safety recalls in India. The latest initiative by the government is certainly a step in the right direction

Thanks to Rohit Garg for sending this information in. Heartfelt gratitude for sharing it with other enthusiasts via this Team-BHP page!

Online RC transfer though Vahan portal

The online Parivhan portal, by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) allows services related to vehicles and driving licenses to be accessed from the comfort of your home.

Some of the services include application / modification and renewal of driving license, basic services on vehicle registration (transfer, change of address, hypothecation, etc.), application for NOC, fitness certificate, alteration of vehicle, RC particulars etc.

Steps for Online RC transfer:
1. Select the RTO whose jurisdiction the buyer's address falls in
2. If there is hypothecation, first remove it if the buyer is in another RTO jurisdiction, else proceed with the application
3. Proceed to the online transfer of ownership
4. Download the pre-filled forms 29, 30, attach the original RC, buyer's address proof and PAN card, vehicle PUC and insurance and seller's PAN card and address proof
5. Submit this set at your RTO and wait for the new RC book. The status will change in the online portal where you can track the progress of your application
6. Fees to be paid are Rs. 550

Thanks to BHPian BKB999 for sharing this with others.

Thanks to BHPian tud for sharing this with other enthusiasts.

Car ownership can now be transferred online, but a visit to the RTO is required to submit the documents. RTO fee is said to be only Rs. 525. It is to be paid when applying online.

To change ownership, visit the Parivahan portal and enter the vehicle's registration number. It will show the name and address of the original owner for confirmation. Then select 'Basic Services' and enter the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Select 'Transfer of Ownership' and enter the details of the new owner. Select the RTO and then proceed to online payment. Form 29 and Form 30 can also be downloaded here.

Big shoutout to Moralfibre for sharing this information!

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH) has launched a new Parivahan Sewa website, under the central government's Digital India mission. It is a centralized database of RTO records of various states. The ministry had earlier opened the Vaahan and Sarathi portals, which showcased a similar accumulation of data from various RTOs. But these portals were RTO-centric and were thus unorganized, and had improper / incomplete information. These limitations have now been addressed by the new Parivahan Sewa website that has converged all fragmented databases into a single portal.

Under the Parivahan Sewa portal, the government has managed to achieve 100% automation of over 1,000 RTOs in the country. The portal claims to have over 19.6 crore vehicle records and 9.2 crore driving licence records in its database. RTO users can now access the system through a secured log-in and authentication. Dealerships too have been given a dedicated dealer portal on the website that helps them enter all relevant vehicle data and generate the vehicle registration number instantly. Even the registration fees can be paid online. This has minimized the need to visit Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) regularly, as the dealer can submit all required documents on a weekly basis to complete the registration process.

Additionally, citizens can access classified information about their vehicles and licenses by entering the required details in the Online Services section of the website. Detailed information about various RTO procedures has been mentioned on the portal, including licence, permits and registration procedures.

Additionally, there is a dashboard section that showcases the statistical data and trends of vehicle registrations over a period of time. This shows the number of vehicle registrations, total revenue collection, number of permits issued, fuel-wise split of vehicles sold and classification of types of vehicles registered. RTO-wise data can be seen by selecting your state from a drop-down menu.

The government is aiming to implement the centralized database throughout the country in the coming months.