For the purpose of survey, inland vessels are categorized in to two groups- CATEGORY- A
(a) Vessels driven with more than 300 HP on board engine.
(b) Vessel with upper deck.
(c) Vessel with FRP hull having passenger capacity of more than 25.
(d) Vessels with more than 15m length.
(e) Hover Craft and Hydrofoils.
CATEGORY- B
(a) All mechanically vessels not included in Category A.
(b)Non motorized barge/ vessels towed by mechanized vessels not included in category A.
(c) All vessels driven with engine upto 300 Horse Power.
(ii) Procedure of Survey & Construction-
(a) Category-A vessels are required to be built under the class survey of a Classification Society.
(b) Category-B vessels are required to be built under inspection of Chief Surveyor who will be assisted by certified Naval Architects/ Marine Engineers holding 1 st class certificate of competency for approval of drawing, survey and classification etc throughout all stages of construction and other occasions of survey.
(iii) Every application for survey of an inland vessel shall be made by owner or master of the vessel in Form-1 along with a fee specified in rule 9 directly to the authorized surveyor or at any other such place notified by the State Government within a period of fifteen days before from the date of taking delivery of such vessels, excluding the period of journey, who shall forward the application for survey to the concerned Chief Surveyor/ State Transport Commissioner.
(iv) Upon receipt of an application under sub-rule (3), the surveyor shall fix the date and time at which the survey shall commence, and shall give a notice in Form-2 to the owner or master of inland vessels informing him the date and time so fixed and requiring him 4 to make all necessary preparations for the survey. The notice shall be given at least seven days before the date fixed for the survey. A survey shall be made on any day except Sunday and holidays. On request of the owner or master of an Inland Vessel, survey may be made on Sunday or holidays on payment of additional fees as specified in this behalf in rule 12.
(v) Place of survey will be any such place that may be notified in the Gazette by the State Government under clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 4 of Inland Vessel Act, 1917.
A surveyor’s fees of Rs2000/- per day/visit, or any rate fixed by State Transport Commissioner from time to time, plus conveyance, boarding and lodging expenses of the surveyor for making survey shall be borne by the owner or master of the inland vessel.
(vi) If every part of the inland vessels is not ready for survey at the appointed date and time or if requisite preparation has not been made for the survey by the owner or master of the inland vessel, the surveyor may, for reasons to be recorded, fix some other date and time for survey.
(vii) If due to unavoidable reason the Surveyor is unable to remain present on the date and time fixed for survey, he shall send the earliest possible information to the owner or master of the inland vessel and shall fix some other date and time for the survey.
(viii) The owner or master of the inland vessel shall be liable to pay a penalty at the rate of rupees hundred per day if the application for survey is not made within the period specified in sub-rule (3) provided that, the State Transport Commissioner may for valid and sufficient reasons to be recorded by him reduce such fine to a maximum of fifty per cent, thereof.
(ix) The survey of Inland Vessels shall be completed within one month from the date of the receipt of application for survey.
(x) Where the survey cannot be completed within one month from the date of the receipt of application owing to no fault of the owner or master of the Inland Vessel, sufficient valid reasons for such delay shall be shown by the surveyor to the Chief Surveyor.
(xi) If it is proved that survey was delayed due to willful negligence of the owner or master of the Inland Vessel or his authorized representative a penalty equal to double of the survey fee for each completed month or part thereof shall be payable by such owner or master, as the case may be.