Learner’s licence pulls Delhi residents to transport kiosk

While most of the kiosks at the Delhi Pavilion display themed exhibitions, it is a busy working day for those manning the transport kiosk.
“Listen, you come to the Sarai Kale Khan Authority. I’ll get it done for you there. We cannot take any more forms today,” a Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System official at the counter told an applicant Wednesday.

“We have only one computer so we can only process 80 licences a day. Hundreds of people have been applying for licences. We have lost count of the number of people approaching us. We have stopped accepting forms and are asking people to come back,” the official told The Indian Express.

The kiosk also has counters explaining PoochhO and Tell-Tale apps for traffic solutions launched by the government.

The registration counter at the kiosk has seen much activity since the opening day. Before officials were overwhelmed, many got their learner’s licences the day they gave their details at the counter.

Nizam, a furniture store owner from East Delhi, appreciated the ease of getting a learner’s licence from the kiosk. “Hum ghoomne nahi ayen hain, sirf licence ke liye aye hain (I am not here for the trade fair, I have come only to get my licence). Here they are charging only Rs 60 for a form and I spent Rs 50 for entry. But if you go to get a learner’s licence at the transport office in Chirag Dilli, you have to do it through agents who charge Rs 2,000. The form itself costs Rs 300. And it takes several weeks. But here we got it done for so little and so quickly,” said Nizam.

Rakesh Sinha from Okhla said he came to the transport kiosk because “there was no way around touts and agents at transport offices, as they are the ones who get us the forms in the first place”.

He added, “For an ordinary licence they (touts and agents) charge Rs 2,000, and more than Rs 5,000 for a heavy vehicle licence… agents have started setting up their desks outside transport offices. We can get a licence only through them.”