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Move to print smart cards at three RTOs in Maha faces opposition
Transport unions, driving schools, and transport organisations said the decision to print smart cards at RTOs in Maha would lead to delays in getting the licences
Pune: While the state transport department has started printing RC books and permanent driving licenses on new-themed smart cards at three centres, namely Mumbai, Nagpur and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar from Monday, August 21, the decision has been strongly opposed by transport unions, driving schools, and various other transport organisations. The three centres, between themselves, will print RC books and permanent driving licenses for Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) across the state but the decision would lead to delays in getting the smart cards, given the current shortage of smart cards at RTOs across Maharashtra.
Also, the fact that only the said three RTOs will have the facility to print details on the smart cards has caused a furore as the Pune RTO has been excluded from the printing process. So much so that Congress MLA Ravindra Dhangekar raised the question in the state legislative assembly while several Pune-based organisations opposed the move. Between the said three RTOs, nearly 75,000 smart cards will be printed and despatched to applicants at RTOs across Maharashtra.
Raju Ghatole, president, Motor Driving School Owners Association Maharashtra, said, “The system of smart card printing should be continued in each RTO as before. Where should the citizens of Pune go if they have an issue with their smart cards. The Pune RTO, which is the highest revenue earner in the state, should not be left out. We have taken up this issue with chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief ministers - Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar but no solution has been reached, yet. When citizens suffer and face problems, this government will realise its mistake.”
Mandar Chavan, a citizen, said, “I bought a new bike last month and till now, I have not got the RC book of the vehicle. I had gone to the Pune RTO office a couple of times to know about it but staff members told me that printing was on hold for a few days and that the RC book would be sent to me by post. Printing of smart cards should be carried out in each district and not at only three places in a huge state like Maharashtra.”
As citizens had to wait for up to two months for their driving license and vehicle registration smart cards, the transport department terminated the contract with the companies that used to print the smart cards. Instead, the department has entered into a contract with Karnataka-based Manipal Technologies Company. The said company has started printing the smart cards from Monday, August 21.
Against this backdrop, state transport commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar said, “It is the right of the concerned company to print the smart cards. According to the company’s convenience, is has chosen three places namely Mumbai, Nagpur, and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. The transport department cannot interfere in the selection of these places. The state needs 40 to 50 lakh smart cards every year. No matter where the printing is done, the smart cards will be delivered to the respective persons in the state via speed post as before. The chemical testing of the new smart cards has been completed and printing has begun from August 21.”
