Assam Chief Minister

Himanta Biswa Sarma

on Wednesday inaugurated a

fully automated vehicle testing station

at

Lahowal

in

Dibrugarh district

, marking a significant step towards modernization and transparency in the state’s transport sector. “Vehicle testing in major centres of Assam is now a completely automated process, devoid of manual intervention. The facility represents a shift toward a citizen-centric service,” Sarma said at the inaugural ceremony.

Vehicle testing in major centres of Assam is now a completely automated process, devoid of manual intervention. Inaugurated one such facility in Lahowal today, which will offer 🛞Faster vehicle testing 🛞Cost effective fitness testing process 🛞Mobile testing facilities pic.twitter.com/o2hR6h2qvM

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa)

October 8, 2025

Developed in collaboration with

Applus ITEUVE India Pvt Ltd

, the centre has been built at a cost of

₹12 crore

and can test up to

10 vehicles per hour

. It will cater to vehicles from

Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, and Dhemaji districts

, offering a faster and cost-effective process for vehicle fitness certification. Sarma said the new automated system will ensure

greater efficiency, reduced human interference

, and improved service delivery. “Once all centres become functional, vehicle owners will no longer need to visit District Transport Offices for fitness testing,” he said. The Chief Minister also announced that similar centres have already been launched in

Biswanath

and

Jorhat

, while another facility in

North Salmara

is ready for operation. Additional automated testing stations are planned for

Barpeta, Mangaldoi, and Badarpur

, he added. “Assam has now developed an environment where driving institutes and authorised fitness testing centres can issue driving licences and fitness certificates valid across India,” Sarma said, highlighting the government’s push toward

digital governance and transport reform

. Officials said the initiative is expected to enhance

road safety, regulatory compliance, and transport infrastructure

in Upper Assam, supporting the state’s broader goal of creating a more efficient and transparent public service ecosystem.