Learner's licence drives closer

Transport department may authorise private driving schools to issue learner's licence

Transport department may authorise private driving schools to issue learner's licence

Want a learner's licence to drive?u00a0 Queue up at the neighbourhood driving school.

Aiming to end corruption in the procedure to issue driving licence, the Delhi Transport Department has decided to authorise private training institutes to issue learners' licences to applicants.

Check on corruption

ABC of driving: Applicants for learners driving license taking the voice-based test at the Vasant Vihar centre.u00a0u00a0u00a0FILE PHOTO

In the next few days, the department will issue a public notice asking private driving training institutes to submit their applications for the same.

"People hardly visit the transport office for a learner's licence. It's a tedious and time-taking process. So we arrange for them. But transport officials are not always honest. This move will check corruption," said Dinesh Singh, owner of a driving school at Lajpat Nagar.

Take it easy

The move, officials say, is also aimed at easing some burden off the local transport authorities. Delhi has 13 zonal offices to issue driving licences and at each, an inspector monitors the tests necessary to obtain the licence.u00a0

"About 1,500 new licences are issued everyday in the city and almost 1,000 are renewed. In how many cases can the inspectors actually conduct the tests?" asked a senior transport official, wishing anonymity.

Checks on private institutions

However, the department will keep a strict eye on the private institutes.

"The institutes will have to conduct only computerised tests and will have to maintain detailed record. They will furnish all the record at the zonal office of the area. The test will also be filmed and the footage will have to be stored as record," said the official.u00a0