Wait for smart cards just got longer

Hyderabad: First, it was the shortage of ribbons; now, the machines that print smart cards at the Regional Transport Authorities (RTAs) in Greater Hyderabad have gone kaput. There are 11 RTAs in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy district and in most of them one out of two machines are not working. Telangana Auto and Motor Welfare Union general secretary M Dayanand who has been working closely with RTAs says, “Just a few months ago, close to 50,000 applications piled up due to lack of ribbons. 

Now, the machines themselves need repairs. If the machines are not repaired soon, the dispatch of cards would be affected once again.” The contract for the upkeep of machines has been given to Srinadha Technologies.  The dues to the contractor have mounted to Rs 2 crore. According to people in the know of things, the government needs to clear the dues and only then would the machines be repaired.  

At present, only one out of the two machines is functional at Bandlaguda, Trimulgherry, Ibrahimpatnam, Attapur, Kukatpally and Uppal RTAs. On an average, 300-400 cards need to be printed in the RTA offices. A senior official at the Uppal RTA  said, “The machines were procured in 2008 and need replacement. We call technicians at least twice a month.”  The machine at Attapur has not been working for 15 days. 

Ramulu, an agent, said, “The issuance of smart cards at the testing tracks at Nagole, Medchal, Ibrahimpatnam, Kondapur and Uppal goes up on Saturdays as people prefer to complete the formalities.”  Contractors of ribbons and machines in the meantime are reluctant to supply as the dues are mounting. Repeated attempts to contact officials at the transport department proved futile.