Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Nov 14: A scarcity of printing materials, such as smart cards and coloured films, in Kashmir has led to a prolonged waiting period of nearly six months for thousands of applicants eagerly anticipating their permanent driving licenses from the Regional Transport Office (RTO).
Applicants from across Kashmir have expressed dismay at the prolonged delays, disrupting their expected timelines for obtaining driving licenses. They emphasised the resulting inconvenience and disillusionment among individuals who diligently followed the application process, expressing disappointment in the system’s failures.
According to regulations, DL smart cards are meant to be dispatched within a fortnight, but the delay in issuing the licenses has caused a significant backlog of work and frustration among both officials and applicants. The situation has escalated to the extent that daily long queues of people form at the RTO office, leading to arguments and altercations with the RTO staffers in attempts to obtain their driving licenses.
Altaf Ahmad, a resident of Srinagar, mentioned that he applied for the renewal of his license at the RTO office in March this year but is yet to receive it. “The license has been renewed online, but I am yet to receive it despite nearly eight months passing,” he said.
Another applicant, Yawar, who passed the driving test for a new license in August this year, is yet to receive the license card. “I have been visiting the office for the last three months, but to no avail,” he said.
He added that while the Government boasts about going online and reducing hassles and intermediaries, it takes an age to issue license cards. The delay ultimately forces them to approach intermediaries who charge hefty amounts for doing the work, which defeats the very essence of moving all services online and promotes corruption.
A top official at the MVD of Jammu and Kashmir told Excelsior that the situation arose due to a delay in tendering for printing material by the Transport Department, which supplies printing material like smart cards and coloured films to the RTO of the UT, allegedly due to the non-availability of funds.
However, he said that they have taken up the matter with concerned officials, and it is pending at the Finance Department. “I do not know the reasons why they are taking time on this,” he said.
Regional Transport Officer of Kashmir Division, Syed Shehnawaz Bukhari, did not respond to multiple calls and texts from this reporter.
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