Get Shorter Waiting Period in Pune RTO Office for Driving Test

Availing a driving license in India requires the applicant to undergo a driving test. To begin the process, the applicant must first apply for a learner's license, which demands a computerized MCQ test. After holding a learner's license for at least 30 days, they can apply for a permanent driving license at Pune RTO, which requires the applicant to undergo a practical driving test.

Driving Test in Pune RTO: An Overview

But, the waiting period for getting a slot for appearing in the driving test sometimes extends beyond months, which can get very painstaking. Driving license tests are conducted at the test tracks and premises of the state's RTO office. Due to India's huge population, the number of applicants awaiting their driving test daily is relatively high. And that is why the waiting period in India is generally very long.

Reason Behind Long Waiting Period in RTO Pune

The residents of Pune have faced the issue of a long waiting period for a driving test for quite some time now. In September 2018, following a Supreme court order, the Maharashtra government suspended thirty-seven Pune RTO officials from their office because they issued fitness certificates to vehicles without proper checking. Out of these 37 officials, 13 were from RTO Pune.

As a result, there has been a considerable decrease in human resources at the RTO Pune office, forcing the Pune RTO authorities to reduce the number of tests for learner's and permanent driving licenses. The driving test for a four-wheeler permanent license is conducted at the Institute of Driving Training and Track in Bhosari. While the two-wheelers permanent license, tests are being conducted at the Phulenagar RTO Pune. The learning license test is conducted at the Pune RTO office near Sangamwadi.

Prior to the suspension, the total appointments given per day to learner's license seekers were 450 and to permanent license seekers were 585. The numbers have been reduced to 350 and 442, respectively, post-suspension. Due to the suspension, the Pune RTO office ran short of inspectors and assistant inspectors handling such appointments. Due to this, even if the applicants received an appointment date while filling out the application, they had to wait a few additional days to appear for the test as the staff was getting overburdened with work.

Earlier, the facility for filling out an online application was not available at the Institute of Driving Training and Research (IDTR) track in Bhosari, where tests for four-wheeler licenses were held. However, since the commencement of the online appointment system, the number of applications for both learning and permanent licenses increased tremendously at Pune RTO, pushing the waiting period beyond four to five months.

Hardships Faced by Applicants Due to a Long Waiting Period

When the appointment date for a driving license gets scheduled for an extended period, the learner's license expires. This requires the applicants to re-appear for the learner's license to be eligible for a permanent license. This results in the applicant going back and forth on the same procedure again and again at Pune RTO. This was a major cause of concern for the applicants. Pune RTO started receiving various complaints from the citizens, under which the number of appointments per day was increased by 30. But it didn't succeed in making much of a change

Government Measures To Reduce the Waiting Period in Pune RTO

In Feb 2019, considering the hardships the citizens face, the Maharashtra government ordered the reinstatement of all 37 suspended Pune RTO officials immediately. After the suspended officers resumed duty, for the convenience of the applicants for availing a DL promptly, Pune RTO took an important step to increase the number of driving tests to be conducted per day at IDTR by 50 from 1st May 2019. Prior to May 1st, the number of driving tests conducted in a day in IDTR was 175, which has been raised to 225.

Pune RTO has also decided to conduct driving license tests on weekends and public holidays. Earlier tests were conducted only on weekdays. The Pune RTO has appointed its officials on a rotational basis to conduct the tests on weekends. These steps resulted in significant relief to the residents of Pune, freeing them from the lengthy timeline of availing a driver's license.

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