Want a driving licence? Wait for 4 months

LUDHIANA: Want to get your driving licence or even learner’s licence made? Well, you will now have to wait for another four months as all the slots for field tests are booked for next four months.
The Regional Transport Office (RTO) conducts the driving test for a maximum of 200 people in Ludhiana district in a month. However, the website of transport department shows no slots available for the next four months. The holders of learner’s driving licence are worried that their license might automatically get cancelled in want of slots for driving test.

It is mandatory for the licence seekers to go through a stringent driving test. “Getting a licence is such a difficult task these days. I have been coming over here since last five days. No slot is available. All my forms are ready. I am just waiting for the driving test,” said Kawaljeet Singh, a resident of Civil Lines.

Some people also complained about the poor system of getting license made. “The system to get licence made is such a difficult job. There is no facility provided for the licence seekers. Standing in long queues in this hot weather is tough. Some people even faint due to such hot weather conditions,” said Amandeep Kaur, a 21-year-old resident of Atam Nagar.

Some even complained that why should police impose challan on people without licence, when government itself is not able to provide licence on time. “As per law, heavy challan is imposed on a person driving without carrying a valid licence. When the government itself is not able to provide licences on time, why should challan be imposed on them? We can’t wait for months to get our licences made and then drive. We have other important tasks in our lives than to go the concerned office daily and ask them to issue our licence on priority basis. Either they should make slots available or provide proper facilities,” said Jagjit Singh, a resident of Model Town.

Many also complained that the online form is not user-friendly. “It is very complicated to fill the online form. Not everyone is able to fill it. It is very difficult for a person who isn’t much educated,” said Gurpreet Kaur, a resident of Dhandari Kalan.

On speaking to TOI, Lovejeet Kalsi, DTO said, “The people have to go by the system. We can’t do anything about it. They will have to follow the system and wait till their appointment. We can cater to only a limited number of people in a day.”

Further adding to it, Kalsi said, “In case of any urgency, the person can come up to me and we can get his or her driving licence made on priority basis.”