Centre to States: Heavy Road making Machinery is not Motor Vehicle

On Monday, the Centre asked States to not insist on registration & driving license for heavy earth moving machinery, saying they do not fall under the Motor Vehicle Act.

It said that road-building & rehabilitation equipment besides heavy earthmoving machinery dont come under Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR), 1989.

Ministry of Road Transport & Highways in a statement said that "Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has clarified that the heavy road making machinery is not a motor vehicle, & is not covered under MV Act. The Ministry has requested the States & UTs to not to insist upon registration & driving licence for these machines".

In a letter addressed to the transport departments of all the States & UT's, the ministry has informed that it has received a number of representations regarding road building & rehabilitation equipment, wherein concern regarding registration of cold recycling machines & soil stabilisation machine (road building & rehabilitation equipment) under CMVR 1989 has been raised. 

The statement stated that "The representations have clarified that Cold milling machines are used to salvage the crust of the existing bituminous pavement to recover the asphalt material & re-use them to conserve aggregate & bitumen & save the associates costs of mining & crushing. Also the extracted bitumen leads to saving of bituminous thus saving of forex".

Also, the work awarded to the concessionaire by the employer is within a given range of chainage, the statement said, adding these equipment work in a defined region.

Further, the operating speed of the above-mentioned equipment is 5-10 kmph & these equipment are deployed at the work site through trailers, it noted.

"The representation regarding Heavy Earth Moving Machineries (HEMM) - wherein concern regarding registration of HEMM equipment & their operation has been raised. 

The statement said that "HEMM such as Dumpers, Payloaders, Shovels, Drill Master, Bulldozers, Motor Grader & Rock breakers are also categorised as 'Off the Road' operated & maintained within mine boundary under sole management, supervision & control of Mines Manager & never used outside mine boundary".

The ministry said the issue was discussed in the 56th meeting of the CMVR-TSC (Central Motor Vehicles rules-Technical Standing Committee) wherein it was opined that cold milling machine, cold recycler & soil stabilisers are not covered under the definition of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 & that the type approval of the machine is also not made.

On the similar lines, HEMM such as dumpers, payloaders, shovels, drill master, bulldozers, motor grader & rock breakers are not covered under the definition of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 & may not be insisted for registration under the Act, the ministry said. 

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