BENGALURU : The waiting period for driving licence (DL) and registration certificate (RC) is now getting longer across the state, thanks to technical glitches in the transport department’s contactless services. Sources said there is a delay of over two months now.
N Sandeep, an applicant who used contactless service to renew his DL, said: “I applied for renewal on May 5. I paid Rs 50 as postal charges alone but the card is yet to be dispatched even though the process was completed long ago. Given that I have paid postal charges, why should I visit an RTO again to collect my card? The idea of contactless service is to reduce visits to RTOs. My DL has now expired, making it illegal for me to drive even though I had applied for renewal befo re it expired. ”
A transport official said payments made through contactless service go directly to the state treasury. “That amount has to reach the respective RTOs for them to send smart cards via India Post. Earlier, applicants used to provide postal cover along with stamps while submitting applications. In contactless services, it is not possible. Many smart cards, especially DLs, are lying in RTOs because of this. ”
This means many DLs are ready to be dispatched but not sent as the transport department has no money to send them by post. However, additional chief secretary (finance) ISN Prasad said: “Enough money is budgeted for this but the vendor apparently delayed sourcing the plastic cards. The matter was recently sorted out, so the issue should be resolved very soon. ”
There are also several complaints about applicants being unable to complete payments online, forcing them to visit RTOs.
Aside from this, sources said there is also a severe shortage of smart cards, which is delaying the issuance of RCs. Last year, the transport department deci- ded to do away with smart cards for RCs and resorted to issuing them in a digitised format that can be printed on paper. “. . . Following this decision, the vendor supplying smart cards for RCs approached the high court, which allowed them to supply it for the contract period. But there is a severe paucity of smart cards because of the global chip shortage,” another official said. Additional commissioner for transport (e-governance) J Purushotham was unavailable for comment.
Glitch hurts vehicle registration
According to sources, registration of new vehicles at most RTOs has also been affected for the past week because of glitches on the Vahan portal. “There is some technical issue with the portal, so lifetime tax payment for new vehicles is not being done. This has delayed registrations in some RTOs in the state,” a transport department source said.
Abinav P, a prospective car buyer and resident of Bellandur, said a dealer told him temporary registration could not be issued as the Vahan portal has been down since last Thursday.
