Hyderabad: Smart cards crunch plagues RTA offices

Hyderabad: With all the Road Transport Authority (RTA) offices across the State facing acute shortage of smart cards used for documents, like registration, driving licences, the Transport department, instead of solving the problem, is asking motorists to download the documents in online mode.

Motorists allege that the department, which collects Rs 300-400 as service charge, is providing pathetic service; they were facing problems while travelling to other States. They say that the police and the RTA authorities in other States were threatening to seize vehicles in the absence of proper documents.

The shortage of smart cards is resulting in a delay in handing over documents to motorists. As per rules, authorities first issue a slip after completion of the registration process. The slip is valid for seven days.

According to sources, when Prashanth Reddy was the Transport Minister, the government had formed a three-member committee in 2019, when there was a similar shortage of cards. The committee resolved to rectify the problem and ensure supply of the card to the owner within seven days. However, there were no efforts later to streamline the system and people were made to suffer.

The RTA offices collect Rs 685 for a four-wheeler registration, including Rs 400 as service charge. The card costs Rs 250 and Rs 35 is collected as postal charges. For a two-wheeler, the department collects Rs 300 as service charge, while the card costs Rs 250; Rs 35 is collected as postal charges. Now all these services are not available because the authorities want motorists to download the soft copy.

The problems of motorists include inability of a buyer to get RC when a seller wants to dispose of his vehicle. The buyer will not give total money as he could not get the RC. The hypothecation process also gets affected as the financier will say he would give total loan only if there is a card.

The Telangana Auto and Motor Welfare Union general secretary M Dayanand questioned as to why the department was collecting service charges when the service itself was not good. "What type of service are you giving? Why people have to suffer for your internal problems? People are afraid to go outside the State. Authorities in other States are objecting to the slip (which is valid for seven days). They are saying we cannot accept downloads; we want proper documents," said Dayanand.

The department should give an advertisement in newspapers about the shortage of cards; instead the officials are raising their hands when motorists ask for proper documents, he said. The government should release a white paper on the shortage of cards and supply.