Pune RTO to tackle driving licence issues, to keep away unauthorised agents

The decision by the Pune RTO came two days after The Indian Express reported how touts are making money at the expense of visitors, without providing any real service as they enjoy a free run at all the offices of the Pune RTO.

Sanjeev Bhor, Regional Transport Officer for Pune, said often users, when applying for a licence, require a full name that does not match with their Aadhaar card, posing a technical issue and leading them to approach agents. “Aadhaar card authentication doesn’t necessitate a middle name, unlike a licence where it’s crucial to put the full name with the middle name to prevent misuse in the future,” he said.

“The concern of having to remove the middle name in the form will be taken up with the higher authority,” Bhor added.

Another issue highlighted by the RTO, resulting from discussions with the NIC, is that although people are allowed to take exams at home, the sensor detects even small movements on the screen, creating interference for the applicant. “People often fail in exams due to this technical fault. To resolve the issue, users can come to us,” he said.

Previously, the Indian Express found that the RTO exam hall witnessed frequent in-and-out movements of agents, resulting in clients passing without sitting for the exam. In response, the RTO prohibited the entrance of agents to the exam room and posted a notice with instructions for them.

Lastly, users who apply for an Additional Endorsement of Driving Licence (AEDL) do not have to visit the RTO office and can go through faceless process from home. Bhor said to apply for AEDL, a driver just has to add a new vehicle category to their existing driving licence, for which no test is required, but currently, people are facing some technical errors with that process. “This issue needs to be discussed in the next meeting with the NIC and will be resolved soon,” Bhor added.