Automated driving track work in progress at Mudipu

The work on Automated driving track in Mudipu, located on the city’s outskirts, is in progress, Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO) J P Gangadhar said on Saturday.

The tracks include facilities like vehicle inspection field and heavy vehicle driving training institute spread across 10 acres of land. The work is being implemented by KSRTC, he said while participating in the phone-in programme organised by Prajavani, the sister publication of Deccan Herald.

When Rajesh sought clarity on whether non-vehicle owners should carry the original documents with them, he said, “Government has allowed submission of driving licence, registration certificate or other documents in ‘electronic form’ presented through DigiLocker.” Transport vehicles should carry with them their original documents, he added.

To complaints on delay in getting driving licences, the ARTO said an issue with the printing machine was solved and there will be no delay in issuing driving licences (DL). Only 500 applications are pending for DL.

The renewal of license and driving license applications are kept pending due to internet glitches as it fails to capture the photograph of an individual properly. The applications seeking renewal of license gets cleared within five to eight days, he added.

To another query, the ARTO said smart cards were replacing the conventional paper-based vehicle registration certificate (RC) and licence. Those who have to change the RC and license in the book format should have to visit the authority from where the RC and license were first issued.

On a query on the inspection of vehicles by Sridhar Shetty from Hebri, the ARTO said that Mangaluru RTO has only six motor vehicle inspectors. The government has recently recruited 150 motor vehicle inspectors who are likely to be posted to RTOs across the state.

Terminating trips

When a resident complained against private buses cutting short their trips in order to avoid paying toll charges in Talapady, the ARTO promised to find a solution to the issue after holding talks with higher authorities.

Another resident took objection to government stickers found on private vehicles, which is a violation. To this, Gangadhar said that the use of sticker on the number plate is not allowed.

“We will write to authorities on getting it removed,” the officer said. On the use of illegal halogen headlights, he said that officials have been imposing fines on the violators.

To avoid the influence of middlemen in RTO office, the ARTO said that a help desk has been functioning from 10 am in the office, where the officials furnish the information sought by the public.