Chennai, Nov 1 (SocialNews.XYZ) Trucks transporting minerals in Tamil Nadu will no longer receive transport permits or transit passes without AIS 140-compliant GPS devices, with the state government enforcing the requirement from Sunday after the final extended deadline expired on October 31.
The geology and mining department announced the decision on Saturday, making installation of the prescribed tracking devices and their integration with its online portal mandatory for vehicles engaged in mineral transportation across the state.
The department also warned of enforcement action against violations. Vehicles found carrying minerals without GPS devices and valid permits would be inspected and seized, while criminal proceedings would be initiated against their owners, according to its release.
The requirement forms part of the government’s efforts to prevent illegal quarrying and unauthorised movement of minerals. By linking mineral-carrying vehicles to its digital system, the department seeks to strengthen oversight of transportation and curb movement outside the permit framework.
Under the directions, operators must install GPS devices that comply with the AIS 140 standard and connect them to the Mineral Management System, known as MIMAS.
Fitting a device alone does not fulfil the requirement; integration with the department’s portal is also necessary. The latest deadline followed a series of extensions granted for compliance. The original deadline for installing the devices was March 31, 2026.
The government subsequently planned to stop issuing transit passes to vehicles without the required equipment from September 1. However, the compliance deadline was extended to September 30 and then again to October 31, allowing vehicle owners additional time to install the devices and complete the portal-linking process. That period has now ended, bringing the permit restrictions into effect.
The November 1 measure directly links access to transport documentation with compliance with the GPS requirement. Owners seeking permits or transit passes for mineral-carrying trucks must therefore ensure that their vehicles meet both the installation and online integration conditions.
The announcement combines restrictions at the permit-issuing stage with action against vehicles found transporting minerals in violation of the requirements.
The department’s warning makes clear that owners could face criminal proceedings in addition to seizure of their vehicles.
With the extended deadline over, the department has placed responsibility on vehicle owners to complete the prescribed GPS installation and MIMAS integration before seeking the documents required to transport minerals legally.
Source: IANS
About Gopi
Gopi Adusumilli is a Programmer. He is the editor of SocialNews.XYZ and President of AGK Fire Inc.
He enjoys designing websites, developing mobile applications and publishing news articles on current events from various authenticated news sources.
When it comes to writing he likes to write about current world politics and Indian Movies. His future plans include developing SocialNews.XYZ into a News website that has no bias or judgment towards any.
He can be reached at gopi@socialnews.xyz