In 2014, Maharashtra saw a total of 61,511 accidents which killed 12,691 people, and of these, Mumbai accounted for 22,554 accidents and 527 deaths. In light of the spate of accidents, transport department officials and experts concede that many of the mishaps that occur in the state result from human errors and poor driving skills.
In 2014, Maharashtra saw a total of 61,511 accidents which killed 12,691 people, and of these, Mumbai accounted for 22,554 accidents and 527 deaths. In light of the spate of accidents, transport department officials and experts concede that many of the mishaps that occur in the state result from human errors and poor driving skills.
In such a scenario, the state should show due diligence when it comes to granting driving licences. However, the department’s figures expose how a corrupt, agent-driven mechanism has destroyed whatever remains of the moth-eaten system, ensuring that the privilege to drive a vehicle on the streets is a virtual licence to kill.
In 2013-14 and 2014-15, almost all those who applied for driving licenses in Mumbai secured them, with a zero rejection rate in two of the three regional transport offices (RTO) in the city.
The Mumbai (Western) RTO office seemed to exhibit more caution. In 2013-14, it rejected seven of the 2,61,107 applications for fresh licenses and renewal; and in 2014-15, the rejections stood at six out of 1,97,525 applications. Officials admit that most of these rejections may be on technical grounds like no-shows, that is, applicants failing to appear for tests.
In what will underline the extent of the rot in the system, sensor-based automatic testing tracks at two places in the state have revealed a failure rate of around 35%-40% among driving licence aspirants! This means that an almost equal number of ineligible people secured licences without proper driving skills!
“It is true that till now, new licenses were issued to people after they applied for them, without testing their skills.... this is an open secret,” admitted transport commissioner Mahesh Zagade who, after taking charge last year, attacked the official-agent nexus which facilitates these transactions.
“A way out could be taking a proper test. It is the job of the RTO inspectors to see that applicants are technically qualified and adhere to rules. Every month, there are around a 1,000 accident deaths and of these 78% are due to drivers’ mistakes or lack of skill. If road accidents and fatalities are to be reduced, then only skilled drivers must get a license. Licenses should not be given out like peanuts,” added Zagade.
He said that after taking charge, he had begun monitoring of applications at all 45 RTOs to ascertain how many of them secured licences, and how many failed the test.
Moreover, to overcome a system where applicants could get licenses in absentia, thanks to agents greasing palms, it has been made mandatory for license seekers to secure online appointments for the tests.
Zagade said a sensor-based automatic testing track to decide if an applicant is fit to get the licence has revealed a high rate of failure among those taking the test. The track, which has been installed at Baramati and at a common site for the Pune and PCMC RTOs has a failure rate of 35%- 40%. “This means that earlier, around 35%-40% people were getting licenses without adequate skills,” noted Zagade, while blaming the “agent-driven system.”
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