Automated test for licence renewal

The state government plans to make automated test drive compulsory for renewal of license to drive heavy duty vehicles.

The government wants to implement this system on the bus drivers in the initial phase and later would cover heavy duty trucks and trailers in the state. Gujarat State Road Transport Service (GSRTC) has prepared facility for this purpose at its workshop near Chandola in the city.

“The license will not be renewed if the driver fails to score less than 60 marks in the 100-mark test,” said JP Gupta, commissioner of transport, government of Gujarat.

The new system will replace the present system of issuing license where in the transport inspector carries out an oral test. He was answering question about traffic education initiative at a programme organised by Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) on Tuesday.

At present there are more than 80 lakh driving license holders in the state and per month 7.5 lakh licenses are issued in the state.

“The large number of driving license holders causes problems in streamlining the process of issuing licences,” Gupta said. He also asked the industry people to come forward to set up such more centres under public-private partnership with the state government.

“We need at least 10 such centres because of higher number of driving license holders in the state,” he said.  The government is planning to introduce traffic lessons in the curriculum of primary schools of Gujarat. Traffic education will be part of curriculum in the certain classes, he said.