Vikas Sharma
JAMMU, Jan 29: The much awaited Driving Licences (D/L) cards that were halted by the Transport Department since more than one year are all set to be issued as the department has started centralised printing and dispatch of Driving Licenses providing much respite to the license card seekers.
The printing of approx Two Lakh Driving Licenses which was pending since more than One and Half year has been resumed in collaboration with the Ministry of Road Transport, Government of India with the target to print and dispatch all the pending Driving Licenses within the next two months.
According to Rajinder Singh Tara, Transport Commissioner, J&K, the Motor Vehicle Department has also introduced a major facelift in the new cards both in terms of durability and standards as the Department has decided to issue the QR code enabled Smart Cards as envisaged in the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989 marking a major shift from the issuance of normal laminated cards.
The Department has also made all necessary arrangement with Postal Department to ensure the delivery of the licenses through Speed Post within 24-72 hours depending upon the distance, he added. The applicant will also get tracking ID through SMS from Postal Department on their Sarathi registered mobile number for easy tracking of delivery of their Driving License.
Pertinent to mention here that the Transport Department was not delivering the driving license cards for the last more than one year, due to non-availability of printing material including smartcards, coloured films, etc.
Due to this thousands of applicants in Jammu and Kashmir have been waiting to get their permanent driving licenses cards from Regional Transport Office (RTO) as well as the Assistant Regional Transport Offices (ARTOs) across the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.
“I submitted my application after completing all the necessary formalities a year ago, and I expected to have my driving licence in January this year, but still wait is not over,” said Surinder Sharma, an applicant frustrated by the delay told The Excelsior.
“The shortage of printing materials has caught us off guard, and it’s disappointing to face such an unforeseen hurdle in a process that should have been straight forward,” he added.
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