The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has mandated the fitment of systems to cover the load bodies of all tippers and dumpers, with the new requirement coming into effect from April 1, 2027.
The provision forms part of the Central Motor Vehicles (Twelfth Amendment) Rules, 2026, notified by the Ministry on July 28, 2026 and published in the Gazette of India on August 7, 2026. The rules have been introduced following consideration of objections and suggestions received on the draft notification issued earlier this year.
Under the amended Rule 138B, all tippers and dumpers manufactured for operation on or after April 1, 2027 will be required to have a system capable of covering the load body from the top and fully enclosing it while the vehicle is plying on the road. The system may be electrically, electro-mechanically, hydraulically or mechanically operated, and can use any suitable material for covering the roof of the load body.
The amendment also requires an audio-visual alert system in the driver’s cabin. The system is intended to warn the driver if the load-body cover is open or unsecured while the vehicle is in motion.
Alongside the new covering requirement, MoRTH has made a corresponding amendment to Rule 93 relating to the measurement of overall vehicle height. The system fitted to enclose the load body of tippers and dumpers in accordance with the new Rule 138B provision will not be taken into account while measuring the vehicle’s overall height.
The rules also retain similar exclusions for specified components such as rear-view mirrors or indirect-vision devices, guard rails, direction-indicator rub rails with a maximum thickness of 20 mm on each side of the body, and side foot steps.
The amended rules come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette, while the specific requirement for covered load bodies on all dumpers and tippers takes effect from April 1, 2027.
