New Delhi, Oct 15 (IANS): The Delhi government on Tuesday announced that it will extend the benefits of no fitness test fee and GPS and SIM charges policy to taxis in the national capital and will also reduce the other charges by more than three-fold.

Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot made the announcement saying the Cabinet has approved the new rates which will be effective from November 1.

For light motor vehicle (taxi) owners/drivers, the Transport Department will now pay the GPS Tracking Charges.

The owners/drivers were currently paying Rs 100 per month as GPS tracking charges and Rs 600 for the fitness test.

"While the fitness test fees have been fully waived off, the owners or drivers will have to pay for Rs 300 fitness penalty for late fee. Till now they were paying Rs 1,000 for the same," Gahlot said.

For registration and re-registration, the charges of Rs 1,000 have been reduced to Rs 300.

"They can get duplicate registration certificate and transfer of ownership for Rs 150 under the revised plan, against the Rs 500 till now," he said.

Also, for drivers having taxis on loan, the government has reduced the hire purchase charge from Rs 1,500 to Rs 500.

In August, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had announced a similar waiver and rate reduction for auto-rickshaws and it was implemented from September 1.