The Hindu : Licence-seekers have extra miles to go

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 30, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad

Licence-seekers have extra miles to go

By Suresh Krishnamoorthy

HYDERABAD APRIL 29. Driving skills of people looking out for a new licence will henceforth be put to some real test. Licence seekers have to drive down all the way to Nagole on the city outskirts for the test of the Road Transport Authority (RTA) and not to the five existing offices in the city.

The sudden shifting of the driving test venue by RTA authorities has caught those seeking licences completely off the guard.

While they have to travel a long distance for the mandatory test, people, however, can pay the fee and get photographed digitally at any of the five RTA offices in the twin cities depending upon their place of residence. After the test, they have to wait a day more for the licence unlike the present practice wherein they are issued the same day.

In the new scenario, the Motor Vehicle Inspector (MVI) has to get back to his office from the Nagole testing centre to computerise the data. With that, a delay in the delivery of the driving licence by at least a day.

When contacted, the Joint Transport Commissioner, C.L.N. Gandhi, said the Nagole centre would soon be networked with the main system and the issuance process would be made easy. "This is a system in the middle of major changes,'' he says.

The RTA offices in Secunderabad, Khairatabad, Mehdipatnam, Malakpet and Bahadurpura conduct an estimated 225 to 275 driving tests a day. While half of this number comprises tests for two-wheeler driving skills, the other half pertains to three and four-wheelers. All these applicants, irrespective of which part of the city they reside, will now have to travel the extra miles.

``After travelling at least 20 km, especially in the hot summer, it is but natural for anyone to use the toilet and hope for a glass of water for some relief to parched throats,'' said a young girl. But, no such hope here. None of these facilities exist here. Worse, they have to endure long queues.

Another licence seeker narrates his harrowing experience when he had to spend about four hours at the RTA office in Mehdipatnam, before he was finally asked to go to Nagole for the driving test. "Despite talk of transparency and efficiency, the RTA has not given any advance publicity for this new provision. Why should I waste four hours only to be told at the end of it that I have to go to Nagole for the test,'' he asked.

RTA officials, however, are confident that there will be no problem during this crucial transition phase. The testing track has four of the five parameters now in place. The dip road, the `S' and `8' curvatures and the reverse parking stretches are already in use and the bumpy road stretch will be ready in a week's time.

But, why the hurry in shifting driving tests to the new facility when it is still incomplete and why the secrecy about the change. "We are not in a hurry. The Police Department has allowed us to use the 12-acre stretch for driving tests and also for keeping seized vehicles. Faced with paucity of space, this happens to be the best option,'' Mr. Gandhi maintained.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

Licence-seekers have extra miles to go

Helmet rule to be enforced from May 7

SARS scare: MCH team abroad safe, says Chitra

Peace must for tourism development, says Governor