Transport Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary on Sunday said that the state government has extended the validity of vehicle documents like driving licenses, permits and registration that expired since February 1 till June 30.

The move was announced to ensure hassle-free transportation of cargo while India observes a 40-day state-mandated lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

In an advisory,the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways asked all state authorities totreat these documents as valid till June 30.

The decision was taken to facilitate the citizens facing difficulties inrenewing the validity of various documents related to the Motor Vehicles Actand the Central Motor Vehicles Rules due to nationwide lockdown in the countryand closure of government transport offices, according to the advisory.

It requested all states to "treat documents under MV Act & Rules,whose extension of validity could not or not likely be processed due tolock-down and which have expired since 1st of February, 2020 or would expire by30th of June 2020, as valid till 30th of June 2020."

The documents include fitness, permit (all types), driving licence,registration or any other concerned document under the Motor Vehicles Act.