Driving licences validity to be extended for 1 year

Adarsh Nagar: The transport department has decided to extend the validity of expired driving licences for a period of one year following the Centre's directions to the States to the effect.

Hitherto those who licenses expired were being asked by the transport department to go for the learner's test again, if they were applying one year after the expiry of licenses.

The State government hadbeen implementing this from December 24 last year when a motorist Irudaya Raj K, a resident of Lalaguda, Secunderabad, applied for renewal of his licence to operate his auto-rickshaw (non-transport) and a motorcycle with gear. The validity was till June 30, 2018.

But he was asked to undergo a re-test after obtaining learner's licence.The motorists, particularly those possessing the transport licence, opposed the move, saying it would be a difficult task to regain the licence as they had to get a medical certificate, badge, and fulfil other formalities.

According to the officials, the Centre issued a fresh notification on Saturday making changes to the rules and providing the motorists one year's time.

The Centre took the decision in the wake of the worsening pandemic situation in the country.Sources said that the Centre also asked the State governments to update the number of driving licences issued to the transport ministry on an everyday basis.

Apart from the information on driving licences issued, the State authorities were also asked to send the details of the number of vehicles getting registeredeveryday in the State, so that a database could be maintained at the national level.

The auto unions welcomed the decision of the government to extend the validity for one year. Telangana Auto and Motor Welfare Union general secretary M Dayanand said that this move of the Centre was a welcome one and demanded that the State government should implement these orders without any delay.