Hyderabad, January 07: The recent move of the Transport department to increase driving slots for Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) is proving to be a great relief to licence applicants and prevent them falling prey to brokers. The brokers allegedly used to charge Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per licence, from those who want licences fast.
In the past, with increase in number of applicants and limited number of driving test tracks, the waiting list used to be as long as 30 to 45 days.
“Now with increase in number of driving slots from 56 to 70 per day, the RTA centres at Kondapur, Nagole and Medchal recorded a significant fall in wait period to 4 to 6 days,” said the transport commissioner Prem Chandra Reddy.
“The increase in driving slots was possible by bringing down the test time from seven and half minute to six. Now two vehicles can be sent simultaneously when one has crossed half the track,” added the commissioner. However, it has made life difficult for touts who used to make good money out of people’s urgency and the delay in getting slots. With driving tests being made available easily to applicants, this has made them less vulnerable to being fleeced by touts.
“A broker manages to get a driving slot for their customer by cancelling some other applicant’s booking. This was made possible by using their booking and date of birth,” said a transport officer adding, “One needs to be careful and not reveal the number and date of birth to a stranger at RTA who acts to help you.”
–Agencies