Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing Tk 3.54 crore for the operation and maintenance of the centres, which failed to serve the BRTA since their establishment in 1997.

The VICs could play a vital role in examining the fitness of vehicles but it could not be possible as the centres are poorly managed and equipped with faulty machinery.

BRTA is widely blamed for providing fitness certificates to unfit vehicles due to corruption of a section of officials and "visual testing" of vehicles.

As the system proved useless, the government set up eight computerised vehicle-testing centres, five in Dhaka and three in divisional cities, funded by the ADB. The centres were supposed to examine fitness of vehicles using camera and report it automatically.

But the centres could not work properly due to faulty equipment installed there by a Dutch company along with a local company. The equipment cost more than Tk 44 crore.

Humayan Rashid, director (operations) of BRTA told Star City that BRTA cut 10 percent of the suppliers' performance allowance as fine for installing the faulty equipment.

But a source at the BRTA told Star City that the amount of penalty was too little compared to BRTA's loss due to the defective equipment.

Besides, a section of officials who inspect the fitness of vehicles played a key role in keeping the VIC inoperative, as it would reduce their illegal income, the source added.

Failing to get expected service from the centres, the BRTA again sought ADB funds to make the centres capable under the Road Network Improvement Maintenance Project-2.

Under this project, the Infrastructure Investment Facilitation Centre (IIFC) is soon going to appoint a consultant for repairing the equipment of the centres and outlining the maintenance and operating regulations for private operators.

Humayan said: "We have sent all the papers to the ministry to sign contracts with the IIFC in this regard. After the project approval, BRTA will hand over the centres to private operators within two years of signing the contract."

"We hope the VICs will enhance BRTA's fitness-testing capability and remove unfit vehicles from the roads," he added.

"Modern vehicle inspection centres are essential for testing vehicles accurately. Fit vehicles will reduce fuel consumption, road accidents and air pollution. We believe this time we could get services from these modern centres," Humayan said.