RTA offices in Telangana runs out of smart cards; issuance of DLs, RCs hit hard

​Hyderabad: Failure of the Transport department to pay off dues to the contractor who supplies smart cards has led to delay in the issuing of driving licences and RCs in the State for the last one month.

The smart cards are used in new driving licences, RC books, duplicate licences, renewal cards etc. Sources in the transport department said that the RTAs in the state print at least 200 to 400 cards per day but there has been huge pendency in the issuing of cards because of the shortage for the last one month.

Sources say the RTA offices in the State are unable to give the documents to the people because of the non-availability of cards for the last one month leading to pendency of about 50,000 cards statewide. The authorities prioritised the driving licence first and then the other documents were being dispatched. 

As per the citizen’s charter, the transport department should deliver the card within a day. If an applicant passes a driver’s test at the testing track, the RTA authorities should ensure that the card is delivered by 1 pm on the next working day but it is not happening, sources said.

Sources said that the department had delayed the payment to the agency leading to stoppage of supply to the offices. The department has to pay Rs 4 crore to the agency and because of the delay, it had stopped the supply.

This is not the first time the department is facing the shortage of smart cards and it has been reported for three times in a year. The authorities had delayed the process of calling tenders and after this they are yet to make payments to the agency.

Telangana Auto and Motor Welfare Union general secretary M Dayanand alleged that this was a regular phenomenon in the transport department and said that it was laxity on part of the officials. “If there is a shortage of cards, the authorities should have given an advertisement in the newspapers. The traffic police will not listen to the motorists if they catch them and demand the licence. The motorists are made to suffer for the fault of the officials,” said Dayanand. 

When asked, Joint Transport Commissioner C Ramesh confirmed that there was shortage of the smart cards. He said that the department has paid the money to the agency on Friday and the supply would be streamlined within a week. When asked about the inconvenience to the motorists, Ramesh said that the motorists can show the M-Valet mobile application to the police officials.