People with DL for LMV can now drive light transport vehicles

BHUBANESWAR: People with driving licence for light motor vehicle (LMV) in non-transport category can now drive any LMV under transport category, as per a notification of the State Transport Authority (STA). 

In its order on Wednesday, STA said that LMV driving licence holders can drive transport category vehicles (goods and passengers) like mini-bus, mini-truck, taxi, auto-rickshaw, light commercial vehicles, and others, without a separate transport endorsement in a driving licence.

“As per the direction of the Supreme Court in 2018, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) had issued an advisory stating that the need to obtain a transport licence will arise only to drive medium/heavy goods and passenger vehicles,” said Transport Commissioner-cum-Chairman of the State Transport Authority (STA), Sanjeeb Panda. All RTOs have been directed to follow the instruction of MoRTH . 

He said, Odisha Motor Vehicles Department officials will not issue e-challan against a person having light motor vehicle licence for motorcycle without gear, motorcycle with gear, light motor vehicle and e-rickshaw/e-cart and found to be driving LMV commercial or goods vehicles, he added.

In another development, STA announced that 15 RTOs in the State have started receiving fresh DL applications from October 8. 

“Instructions were issued to all the RTOs to resume DL skill test from September 18 with slot capacity of 40 per cent due to the coronavirus pandemic. On reviewing the DL test slot booking status, it was observed that the demand for the same has come down in 15 RTOs,” said Panda.

The 15 RTOs are Chandikhole, Barbil, Koraput, Mayurbhanj, Phulbani, Sundargarh, Bargarh, Rayagada, Angul, Gajapati, Nabarangpur, Boudh, Deogarh, Malkangiri and Bhanjanagar.