Increased vehicle inspections in Odisha’s surrounding regions

In preparation for the general elections, the transport department has increased vehicle inspections in Odisha’s border regions.

Enforcing strict inspections on cars arriving from both sides are regional transport officials (RTOs) of neighboring states and their equivalents in Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Rourkela, Bargarh, Nuapada, Nabarangpur, and Ganjam. Together with federal and state organizations like the Income Tax, Enforcement Directorate, GST, DRI, excise, and police, the department conducts cooperative enforcement. Between March 22 and April 5, more than 142 sites searched over 25,610 cars, resulting in the recovery of cash, marijuana, illegal beverages, clothing, shoes, gas stoves, and auto parts.

The GST agency fined unlawful goods transportation worth Rs. 27.72 crore during the inspection. Authorities believe a large number of unlawfully trafficked commodities may have been distributed as freebies before to the election. In a virtual review conference that day, Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur requested RTOs to work with other authorities to execute the law.