Test and drive: Driving schools to issue licences

The transport department has decided to make the process of issuing commercial licences more stringent in order to ensure that only well-trained drivers get behind the wheels of such vehicles.

The transport department has decided to make the process of issuing commercial licences more stringent in order to ensure that only well-trained drivers get behind the wheels of such vehicles.

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The department has authorised three driving schools — Driver's Training Institute at Burari and Institute of Driving Training and Research at Sarai Kale Khan and Loni Road — to conduct driving tests and issue commercial licences to successful applicants.

The three driving schools are equipped with simulators, driving tracks where the applicants will have to take driving skill test and commercial vehicles for each applicant to take the test. While the staff of the driving school will manage the entire exercise, senior transport department officials will supervise the process.

The new system, said senior transport officials, will also take out the involvement of touts in the issuance of commercial licence. Officials said no outsider will have access to the test track and licence will not be issued without the applicant taking the mandatory driving test.

"Each driving test will be captured by CCTV cameras and the applicants who fail to measure up will be rejected. We will tell the applicants their weak points and ask them to come back after brushing up their skills. We do not want to deprive them the opportunity to earn their livelihood but certainly want to give licence only to skilled drivers," said Anil Chhikara, a senior transport department official.

The new system, said Chhikara, will be in place by next week.

Commercial licences are now issued at each of the 13 zonal offices of the transport department which do not have a test track. Licence aspirants manage to bypass most rules with the help of touts who charge anything between Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000.