NEW DELHI: Waking up to some of the state transport authorities and traffic police not accepting the digital version of driving licence and registration certificates, the Centre is set to amend the Motor Vehicles Rules making it compulsory for authorities to accept digital version of of all vehicle documents including pollution under control certificates and insurance documents. The road transport ministry will issue an advisory on the matter in the next two days.

The draft rule notified by the road transport ministry also proposes to make it mandatory for trucks to carry construction materials such as sand, soil and cement in a "closed body" or "container". It also said in case it was necessary for cargo vehicles to carry goods in open bodies, the "goods shall be covered by using appropriate cover like tarpaulin or other suitable material".

Sources said the changes have been proposed considering that construction material was transported in covered trucks in developed countries. "Construction material carried in open and uncovered trucks is an environmental concern," said a transport ministry official. The draft rules, which cover several issues also do away with the mandatory norm of two drivers in long-haul vehicles.

The ministry has also proposed mandatory installation of FASTags , fixing reflective tapes and vehicle tracking system in all National Permit vehicles . Moreover, all new commercial vehicles won't require to undergo fitness test.

In yet another relief, the ministry has proposed that old vehicles would require to undergo fitness test once in two years in stead of annual test. This norm will apply for vehicles that are up to eight years old and in case of the older vehicles the test will be done annually. "This has been proposed considering that new vehicles are advanced ones so far as technology is concerned," said a transport ministry official.

