Heavy road making machinery are not motor vehicles, not covered under MV Act: Road Transport Ministry

Road Transport and Highways Ministry has clarified that the heavy road making machinery are not motor vehicles and are not covered under MV Act. It has requested the States and UTs to not to insist upon registration and driving licence for these machines.

In a letter to the transport departments of all the States and UTs, the Ministry has informed regarding a number of representations received on Road Building and Rehabilitation Equipment, wherein concern regarding registration of cold recycling machines and soil stabilization machine under Central Motor Vehicle Rules 1989 has been raised.

The representations have clarified that cold milling machines are used to salvage the crust of the existing bituminous pavement to recover the asphalt material and re-use them to conserve aggregate and bitumen and save the associates costs of mining and crushing. Also the extracted bitumen leads to saving of bituminous material thus saving forex. The work awarded to the concessionaire by the employer is within a given range of chainage.

Therefore, these equipment work in a defined region and its operating speed  is 5 to 10 kilometre per hour as well as these equipment are deployed at the work site through trailers.

The representation regarding Heavy Earth Moving Machineries (HEMM) – wherein concern regarding registration of the equipment and their operation has been raised. HEMM like Dumpers, Payloaders, Shovels, Drill Master, Bulldozers, Motor Grader and Rock breakers are also categorised as off the road operated and maintained within mine boundary under sole management, supervision and control of Mines Manager and are never used outside mine boundary.