No stock of smart cards at RTA offices

In the last 15 days no smart cards have been issued to people who underwent the mandatory driving test at the three testing tracks in Uppal, Nagole and Kondapur. At each of the centres about 300 persons take the test every day. The officials say that there is no stock of smart cards and they do not know how long it would take. More than 50,000 cards have been pending in the last 15 days.

A fresh tender has not been called for by the Telangana Technology services and the last stock of cards at various TRA offices in the city is getting over quickly. Smart cards are issued for new registrations, renewal of driving licence, duplicate of registration certificate, hypothetication, agreement, renewal of registration among others. There is no stock at Khairatabad, Uppal, Mehdipatnam, Malakpet and Bahadurpura.

Azaruddin Shaik applied for termination of vehicle loan finance (vehicle no TS 09EE 2791) at Khairatabad but was told that there are no cards. Likewise, Sudharshan Jishnu, a resident of Central Excise Colony, Bagh Amberpet, applied for renewal of driving licence at Malakpet RTA but was given the same answer. Exasperated he says, “The transport commissioner needs to make arrangements well in advance.

No one is sure how long it would take. What if someone needs to leave the city or go on a long break? The least the department can do is to specify a date.” “The department promised that once the test is over, the card would be sent within 24 hours but it does not even put up a notice board about the issue and has neither given a statement through the media. Thousands of people are put to hardship,” said M Dayananad, general secretary, Auto & Motors Welfare Association, Greater Hyderabad.

For an indefinite period, there is also a danger of getting penalised for not having cards. As per rules, the receipt given by the RTA after a test is valid only for seven days. The traffic police could impose challans between Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000. There have been instances in the past when the traffic police imposed fine. Ravi, resident of Gowliguda, said, “In spite of not being at fault I had to pay a penalty. The traffic police is not concerned about the lack of stock.”

Repeated attempts to contact the joint transport commissioner proved futile, however a senior official at Khairtabad RTA said that if a tender is not called for soon, the situation would only get worse.

• 3,000 new registrations of motor cycles and light motor vehicles per day

• Applicants are told to wait for an indefinite period which means they would have no cards to show to traffic police personnel

“The department promised that once the test is over, the card would be sent within 24 hours but it does not even put up a notice board about the issue and has neither given a statement through the media. Thousands of people are put to hardship,” said M Dayananad, general secretary, Auto & Motors Welfare Association, Greater Hyderabad.

By T P Venu