Barodians to finally get Smart Card driving licences by September

Besides licence records and furniture,more than 20 computers were gutted in the blaze. Since then,authorities had stopped issuing Smart Card driving licences and only conventional licences were being given to the applicants.

According to information furnished by the RTO officials in Vadodara,more than 250 licences are issued every day apart from about 300 learning licences. They said the procedure to issue Smart Card was put on the backburner due to lack of financial allocation,vacant posts at the RTO,and dilapidated condition of the present RTO office at Warasia.

Earlier,only those applying for renewal of existing licence were given Smart Card by the authorities,but now even fresh applications will be considered for Smart Card,according to officials.

“At present,we are issuing Smart Cards to only those who are applying for renewal of their old licences. But considering the problems faced by the new applicants,we have been communicating with our head office in Gandhinagar,and soon the issue will be resolved,” said Madhukar Buch,in-charge Assistant,RTO,Vadodara.

“We have acquired the gadgets and equipment required for issuing Smart Cards and now it is only the question of technical support from the experts. If everything goes well,by September,citizens will start getting Smart Cards,” he added.

The State Motor Vehicle Department plans to start these services simultaneously in some of the major cities,including Rajkot and Surat.

Buch added: “The experts,who will train the staff about the usage of the machines for preparing the Smart Cards,are visiting different cities,and there are chances that Vadodara will get its turn by September.”