Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Mar 1: A driving track for use by the regional transport office here is being built at Mudipu near the city. This information was given by assistant regional transport officer (ARTO), J P Gangadhar.

He was participating in a phone-in programme organized by Kannada daily, Prajavani, on Saturday, February 29.

He said that the facilities at Mudipu include vehicle inspection field and heavy vehicle driving training institute. Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation has been implementing the project where heavy vehicle driving training institute is being built on a ten-acre plot, he added.

Representational Image

In reply to question on the need to carry original documents when on the road, he clarified that the government has permitted submission of documents like driving licence, registration certificate and other documents in electronic form(DigiLocker) whereas transport vehicles need to have original documents with them. On the issue of undue delay in getting driving licences, he said that the issue concerning printing machine has since been addressed and that henceforth there will not be any delay in issuing them.

The officer said that renewal of licence and driving licence applications are pending because of internet issue on account of which photographs of individuals are not properly printed. He said that in the normal course, renewal applications are handled within five to eight days.

When a citizen pointed out that an individual from Hebri has been inspecting vehicles, the officer said that the local regional transport office has only six motor vehicle inspectors. He explained that recently 150 motor vehicle inspectors were picked by the government for being posted to RTOs across the state.

When the issue of cutting short trips by city buses at Talapady because of toll fee problem was raised, the ARTO said he will find a solution to the problem soon after discussing with higher authorities. In the matter of government stickers on private vehicles, he said stickers on number plates are not allowed. He said he will write to authorities concerned to remove such stickers.

The ARTO also said that a help desk has been set at the office of the RTO to help the people in getting their work done, to avoid the involvement of middlemen.