Driving licence, vehicle info now just a click away

Applying for a driving licence? Or trying to get the vehicle ownership transferred? You no longer have to stand in long queues at the Regional Transport Office (RTO) or bribe a tout to get your work done. Moushumi Das Gupta reports.

Applying for a driving licence? Or trying to get the vehicle ownership transferred? You no longer have to stand in long queues at the Regional Transport Office (RTO) or bribe a tout to get your work done. By month-end, you would be able to avail all this and a host of other services (see box) provided by RTOs at the click of a mouse.

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This is not all. Help is also at hand for investigative agencies probing vehicle-related crime in the country. Investigative agencies will not only be able to access and share information about any registered vehicle involved in crime but also details of the owner.

After over three years in the work, the road transport and highways ministry is all set to launch on Wednesday one of its ambitious projects - the National Register - an online database of all registered vehicles and driving licences in the country along with the National Transport Portal.

Developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) at a cost of R70 crore, the portal has linked all 975 RTOs across the country. Records of 60% of the total 12.5 crore registered vehicles and driving licences in the country has been digitised so far. "By year-end, all records will be digitised," said an NIC official.

By year-end, one would be also able to make online payments through the system.

Eventually, the ministry also plans to launch a host of information services linked to your vehicle through SMS. This will include informing you of due date for your insurance payment, PUCC check-up, etc. The Centre would also authorise agencies like the police which require vehicle-related information for probe, to access the national register.

"It will help the police to locate stolen vehicle and track traffic offenders. As of now it is a tedious job because of dearth of information," said a ministry official.

Besides, enforcement authorities will also be able to verify forged documents produced by drivers through SMS.

At a later stage, the government is also planning to authorise banks and insurance companies to avail the service.