Driving licence sans blood group details angers vehicle users in city

Hyderabad: The driving licence issued in Telangana state lacks the most important basic detail – blood group of the individual. Vehicle owners, cab drivers and road safety experts are furious that the transport department has made it optional, despite the information being crucial in saving the lives of victims of road accidents.

Many representations to make blood group details mandatory on the driving licence have been made in the past, but to no avail. As per the Motor Vehicle Act, while filling the application form 1-A, the candidate has to mention his blood group. The option was included in the MV Act, with the intention that it would be useful in case riders met with an accident. However, it is not being implemented.

Some of the applicants said that they had mentioned their blood group in the application but did not find it on their cards. An applicant Kamble Shekhar said that he had applied for renewal of his licence and had filled in the application by mentioning the blood group. However, there was no blood group mentioned in the new licence issued by Nagole RTA on April 10. He said that there was a blood group mentioned in his earlier licence.

Similarly, the new driving licence of M Dayanand by the RTA-Hyderabad North Zone had no mention about the blood group even though he had stated in the application form.

Dayanand, who is also a general secretary of Telangana Auto and Motor Welfare Union asked when there is a mention of the blood group, why it has been kept optional by the State Transport Department. “Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and other states contain blood group details on the licence,” he said.

Road safety expert says if blood group is mentioned on the licence, a lot of complications can be avoided. They say, in emergencies, where an accident victim is unconscious and away from family, the licence can save not only time but also life, if the blood group is provided. Moreover, the doctors handling accident cases go through a tough time not knowing the blood group of victims, resulting in delayed treatment.

According to the Telangana State Taxi and Drivers Association, it would be useful in case drivers get hurt in accidents. “The empty space beside the blood group column in the driving licence serves no purpose. We have recommended making blood group details mandatory in the licence even in the past, but no action has been taken by the authorities,” said Shaik Salauddin, president, drivers’ association.

During the tenure of ESL Narasimhan as Telangana Governor, he suggested that RTA officials should deem it compulsory to list the blood group details on the driving licence. The officials decided to make it mandatory asking the motorist to mention the blood group and started issuing the licences with the blood group. However, the new licences issued by the RTA have no mention of blood group.

As per the Transport department, the applicants should specifically mention their blood group in the form while booking the slot for the driving licence. The officer said that the authorities would make sure there are no discrepancies in future.