Chandigarh: Punjab govt’s decision to take over driving licence, registration certificate issuance will lead to chaos, says road safety expert
The transition has led to 268 job losses and left applicants waiting for their driving licence and registration certificate, says a member of the National Road Safety Council
Kamal Soi, member of the National Road Safety Council, on Monday voiced opposition to the Punjab government’s decision to take control of driving licence (DL) and registration certificate (RC) issuance, citing concerns over job losses, inefficiency and corruption.
Addressing media at the Chandigarh Press Club, Soi said that 268 employees have already lost their jobs due to this transition. Soi referred to the request for proposal (RFP) issued on February 10 which states that the state transport department will now oversee personalisation of data, issuance and distribution of smart cards.
Soi condemned the move arguing that handing over control to the transport department, which lacks technical expertise and skilled professionals, will lead to delays, mismanagement and increased corruption, urging the state government to reconsider its decision.
He pointed out that many applicants are currently waiting for their DLs and RCs, facing severe inconvenience. “Why is the state government not conducting driving tests in Punjab?”,he questioned.
According to Soi, the transport department lacks access to National Informatics Centre’s (NIC) Vahan and Sarathi systems, which are crucial for handling DL and RC data. “Without proper infrastructure, workforce and quality control measures, the transition could result in chaos and failure at the implementation stage,” Soi said.
He added that system integrators bring in IT specialists and project managers, whose expertise is now being ignored.
Jaspreet Singh, state transport commissioner said, “We are going to allot the work to agency in day or two and printing will begin in next ten days.”
