Delhi: RTO coming up at Jharoda Kalan, to have automated test track

The Delhi government is soon going to inaugurate a regional transport office (RTO) in southwest Delhi’s Jharoda Kalan, said a senior government official on Tuesday

The Delhi government is soon going to inaugurate a regional transport office (RTO) in southwest Delhi’s Jharoda Kalan, said a senior government official on Tuesday. This will be the 14th RTO to be inaugurated in Delhi and the 10th one with an automated track for driving test.

Tests on automated tracks are much more stringent. Unlike conventional tests, in which drivers have to drive on a track amid traffic in the presence of a motor vehicle inspector, the automated tracks simulate tougher driving conditions. (Representative Photo)

“The new RTO will cater to areas of outer Delhi near Najafgarh. Earlier, residents of this part of southwest Delhi had to go either to Dwarka or Janakpuri to get a driving licence made or for other transport related work,” said the senior official adding that a separate RTO for the zone has been a long pending demand due to overcrowding in the existing facilities.

While the new RTO was ready in terms of infrastructure, the government was confronted with a manpower shortage because of the Covid-19 pandemic, which is slowly getting stable, the official said.

The last time Delhi got a new RTO was around 10 years ago when the Surajmal Vihar RTO was made operational to cater to east Delhi areas such as Shahdara, Anand Vihar and Vishwas Nagar.

Tests on automated tracks are much more stringent. Unlike conventional tests, in which drivers have to drive on a track amid traffic in the presence of a motor vehicle inspector, the automated tracks simulate tougher driving conditions.

The tests are monitored by sensor-based cameras, the video is live-streamed in a control room at the spot and evaluation is done by a computer software. The result is generated after taking into consideration instances of the total time taken, unscheduled stops, the number of times the applicant hit a kerb or go off track. Any driver who scores below 70% has to reappear for the test after a certain time.