RTA services go for a toss as technical glitch hits servers

Hyderabad: With no upgradation of servers in the State Transport department, motorists at the RTA offices across the city are facing difficulties in transport-related services due to server problems. The technical glitch is persisting in all online services of the department, due to which applicants are forced to wait for long hours in queues and return back.

On Wednesday hundreds of users, who came after booking their slots for their driving licence and other transport-related services to the RTA offices, had to wait and return as the servers were down. This is not the first time, the department is facing server- related issues. Such problems are occurring in offices 2-3 days in a week.

The department boasts of online services, including LLR, driving licence, registration of vehicles, renewals, slot bookings. For each service, applicants would be receiving OTP (one-time password) on their phone numbers and have to pay for service online. Due to server glitches all services are being halted for hours, as the applicants are not receiving OTPs and are not able to make payments. They are forced to wait and return without completing the task. They are facing difficulties as they have to again book a new slot, make extra payments, and even extra penalties.

According to the Telangana Auto and Motor Welfare Union general secretary M Dayanand, with no upgradation in servers from two-II to tier-III, the department services are facing technical problems.

"After the manual service, in 2000 the department had upgraded its services to online with a tier-II system. In 2010 it upgraded the services to tier-III, but the online services are still being used by the department as per tier-II server. The department has to upgrade the server to solve the server problems," said Dayanand.

A college student at the RTA office said, "without attending my college I have been waiting here from 10 am for my learner's licence, but due to server problems I will have to come back again next day, by taking a new slot and making extra payment."

Shaik Sarwar said, "I came to the RTA office to know the formalities to apply for a driving licence for my son. The officials told me to opt for the online procedure. But the online service is testing my patience by forcing us to fill the application several times. As you can see the server is down."

Another applicant, Sathi Reddy, said authorities had not bothered to have a back-up facility in case of technical snags. It would be wise, if they plan a back-up server."

Dayanand said RTA collects service charges at the time of booking the slot; but when it is unable to provide services why it is charging.