RTO to start permanent licence test centre in Hadapsar

PUNE Soon, residents from the east of Pune city will not need to go to Vishrantwadi to apply for a permanent driving licence.

PUNE Soon, residents from the east of Pune city will not need to go to Vishrantwadi to apply for a permanent driving licence.

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The Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO), on Monday, announced plans to start a permanent licence test centre in Hadapsar.

RTO has land in Hadapsar, where currently, it organises monthly camps where it issues learner’s driving licences.

“There is land in Satavnagar where once a month we organise licence camps. There is a small office and applicants from the area are called in for tests. Going forward, and looking at the increasing number of applicants for permanent licences, we are planning a testing ground at this venue. This is apart from our Vishrantwadi-Phulenagar RTO premises. It will certainly benefit a lot of people staying in the eastern part of the city,” said Sanjeev Bhor, deputy regional transport officer.

Currently, applicants who have completed one month of holding a learner’s licence and need to get a permanent licence are sent to the Phulenagar RTO office.

Now with this new testing venue, citizens from Hadapsar, Wanowrie, Koregaon Park, Pune Camp, Ahmednagar Road, Kalyani nagar, and Wadgaonsheri among other places in the east of Pune can get access to this new centre for a permanent driving licence test.

“We need to do some upgrading before starting the permanent licence tests, like a shed and seating for applicants. Then a proper office for our RTO inspectors and toilets are needed. Once the infrastructure is done and after getting proper permissions from the head office, it will be functional,” added Bhor.

Learner’s licence holder Gaurav Alekar cannot wait for the Hadapsar centre to start.

“I have my learning licence and soon will apply for the permanent licence. If I get the test centre in Hadapsar it would be great. For us, going all the way to Vishrantwadi is tiring and we have to take a day off from work.”