Hyderabad: Illogical RTA Rules irks Citizens

Hyderabad: The citizens who are applying for driving licences are made to face the brunt of the 'illogical' rule of the Transport department, which asks applicants to repay the entire fee in case they skip their slot.

The applicants who are applying for the learners license registration (LLR) are facing difficulties due to lack of modification of the slot once it is booked, whereas, the other 55 services in the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) can be modified, as per applicant's convenience.

However, there seems to be no end to the woes of the citizens who want to apply for learners' driving licences. A majority of applicants said they have been facing difficulties in not attending the slot due to various reasons and emergencies. They had to shell out more money and book a new slot.

Murtuza Mohsin, an applicant who was booking LLR slot for the second time said in his earlier slot, which was on Friday, he did not attend due to some personal issue. Due to no modification in slot, he had to book another slot by paying the same fee. "There was a funeral of my uncle so I could not attend on Friday, I tried to modify the date; but there was no option. Now again I paid the same amount of fee for the second time to take a new slot," he added.

Likewise, there are several such applicants, who may not attend the slot and have to undergo a second slot expressing a concern over shelling out extra money. "I booked a slot, but there was an issue to which I had not attended the LLR, now again for the light motor vehicle, I am paying fee of Rs 435," said Venu Kumar of Uppal.

Meanwhile, the Telangana Auto and Motor Welfare Union general secretary M Dayanand said daily at least 25 per cent of applicants in all 11 offices in Greater Hyderabad may not attend the slot due to various issues. "Of 300 applicants in each category, at least 25 per cent may cancel the slot and may not attend for certain reasons and emergencies. Such applicants have to book another slot. The Transport department had been charging the same amount of fee for the second time due to no modification; applicants face double whammy," he pointed out.

He said there are three categories with different amounts of fee---Rs 335, Rs 435, and Rs 635 respectively. "The Transport department had applied the modifications in 55 services out of 56, including in permit for transport vehicles, fitness, finance, transfer, NOC, and several others, but LLR is exempt in the services. The government and Transport department should implement the modification in the LLR service category," he added.