As Lucknow expands and transport authorities tighten scrutiny of driving licence applicants, the introduction of automated driving tests has coincided with an estimated 90% decline in permanent driving licence issuance. According to transport department data, the number of licences issued daily has fallen from around 250 to just 20-25, raising questions about both the accessibility of the new facility and the impact of the change in testing procedures.
The decline follows the shifting of driving tests to the Automated Driving Testing Centre (ADTC) at Uditkheda in Kakori on September 14. Applicants are assessed through sensors and video recording, reducing human intervention and the scope for manipulation.
Figures for September highlight the scale of the decline. Against the earlier monthly average of 6,500-7,000 permanent driving licences, only around 600-700 were issued during the month. While the automated system is designed to ensure that applicants demonstrate their driving skills, the figures also raise questions about the functioning of the earlier licensing system.
Officials, however, acknowledge that the centre’s distance and poor accessibility have discouraged applicants from appearing for tests. The transport department is preparing to open another driving test centre in Amravati IT City on Sultanpur Road by mid-November to address the problem. They said more centres would be opened in future for the convenience of the applicants.
ARTO (administration) Pradeep Kumar Singh said applicants seeking permanent driving licences must undergo tests at Uditkheda under the existing arrangement. “Applicants are required to visit the Uditkheda centre for their permanent driving licence tests. At present, the number of applicants appearing for tests is low, but we expect the situation to improve in the coming days,” Singh said.
{{/usCountry}}ARTO (administration) Pradeep Kumar Singh said applicants seeking permanent driving licences must undergo tests at Uditkheda under the existing arrangement. “Applicants are required to visit the Uditkheda centre for their permanent driving licence tests. At present, the number of applicants appearing for tests is low, but we expect the situation to improve in the coming days,” Singh said.
{{/usCountry}}The decline is significant given that the Transport Nagar and Deva Road ARTO offices together have 375 daily slots for driving licence-related services. Despite this capacity, only a fraction of applicants are completing the process.
Under the earlier system, biometric verification, document checks and driving tests were conducted at the respective ARTO offices. Applicants must now visit the ARTO office for biometric verification before travelling to Uditkheda for the driving test.
The centre is approximately 10 km from Transport Nagar ARTO and nearly 40 km from Deva Road ARTO, making the process inconvenient, particularly for applicants travelling from distant parts of the expanding city.
Women applicants have also raised concerns about poor approach roads and safety. Rashmi Singh, an applicant, said she faced difficulties reaching the testing centre after completing biometric verification at Transport Nagar. “The approach road is in poor condition, and travelling to the centre does not feel safe. Reaching the facility after completing formalities at the ARTO office makes the entire process inconvenient,” she said.