Leh, Oct 14: The Administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh has granted a temporary one-month relaxation from the mandatory installation of Vehicle Location Tracking Devices (VLTDs) in all public service vehicles operating across the region. The decision was announced through Order No. 16-Trans (UTL) of 2025, issued by the Transport Department on Tuesday.
According to the order, the relaxation will remain in effect till November 10, 2025, following representations made by various Transport Unions before the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh on October 8, seeking temporary relief from the immediate enforcement of the rule.
The order notes that Rule 125-H of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, along with notifications G.S.R. 1095(E) of November 28, 2016 and G.S.R. 617(E) of August 3, 2022 issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), makes it mandatory for all public service vehicles and those carrying hazardous goods to be fitted with AIS-140 certified VLTDs equipped with emergency panic buttons.
The UT Administration had earlier, through its notification dated June 28, 2025, directed all public service and hazardous goods vehicles to comply with this requirement. However, after the notification’s implementation, transport associations across Ladakh submitted multiple requests citing logistical challenges, cost implications, and low tourist inflow as reasons for seeking additional time to comply.
The Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, after considering these representations, directed that a limited relaxation of one month be granted to allow all stakeholders to complete the installation process.
Under the new order, the relaxation is subject to strict conditions. Transport Unions availing the exemption must submit a notarized affidavit to the office of the Regional Transport Officer (RTO), Ladakh, undertaking to ensure full compliance with the rule immediately after the relaxation period ends. The Assistant Regional Transport Officers (ARTOs) have been instructed to monitor the progress weekly and maintain a verified database of vehicles covered under this relaxation.
The order makes it clear that no further extension or relaxation will be granted beyond the specified date. After November 10, any vehicle found operating without a functional tracking device will face penal action under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. Penalties may include fines, suspension of permits or registration, and denial of renewal or issuance of fitness certificates for non-compliant vehicles.
Responsibility for ensuring full compliance lies primarily with vehicle owners and permit holders, but the order also holds the Transport Unions collectively accountable for any failure on the part of their members. The ARTOs have been directed to verify physical installation of the devices once the relaxation period expires.
