Two months on, no driving tests held at centre near Rose Garden in Ludhiana

The automated driving test centre near Rose Garden has been idle for two months due to staff shortages, causing inconvenience for applicants.

The work at the automated driving test centre near Rose Garden has been at a complete standstill for the past two months due to a severe staff crunch, causing inconvenience to locals applying for licences.

The last contractor’s term expired in December last year, reducing the staff strength at the centre from six to one. (HT Photo)

The centre that had six staff members till December last year is now being manned by a single staffer who struggles to keep up with the inflow of applications. The centre receives over 100 applications every day. Earlier, the centre had three clerical staffers, a technical staff member, a driving test track official and a centre head, and handled nearly 300 applications every day. No driving test has been conducted at the centre for the past two months.

The staff shortage stemmed from the expiry of the previous contractor’s tenure, officials said. While a new firm, Mtech, was to take over operations, it stands delayed due to administrative ‘disagreements’ over the company’s tenure, officials aware of the development said.

Now, applicants are forced to travel to the test centre in Sector 32, which is around 11 km from this facility.

Regional Transport Office officials said the new contractor will take charge soon. Regional transport officer Kuldeep Bawa said, “I have written to the authority concerned and a new operator will take charge of the centre within 10 to 15 days.”

The situation has compounded the woes of those visiting the Sector 32 test centre, where two staff members are now handling nearly 180 applications every day.

Satwinder Singh, an applicant at the Rose Garden centre, said, “I took a day off from work for the driving test. After reaching here, I came to know that I need to go to another centre in Sector 32.”

Echoing similar sentiments, applicant Rajdeep Singh said,” I came to the centre around 9 am for document verification. However, it has been more than three hours, and I am still waiting for my turn.”