Deadline nears, applications for learner’s licence pour in

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 8

After the Punjab Police decided to tighten the noose on underage driving, the number of applications for getting learner’s licence with the Regional Transport Office (RTO), has increased manifold.

RTA authorities said that in August alone, over 3,100 have submitted their applications with the department while it was over 7,200 in the month of July which is much higher than the previous months.

Arshdeep Singh, Secretary, Regional Transport Office, confirmed that there has been a substantial increase in the number of applications and the department was in the process of clearing the file after completing the necessary formalities.

Punjab Police have recently extended the deadline for enforcing stringent rules of Motor Vehicles Act regarding underage driving to August 20. Under the rules, parents of underage children driving two or four-wheelers would be fined Rs 25,000 or could face a jail term for three years. It was to be earlier implemented from August 1, but following requests by the parents, the date was extended by 20 days.

Officials at the Regional Transport Authority revealed that on an average, they used to receive 140 applications for learner’s licence on a daily basis. The figure has now jumped to around 520 per day.

“From January to June this year, 4,600 applications were received on an average while in July, the number increased to just over 7,200. In August, it is likely to surpass this figure as in the first six days, 3,100 applications have already been received,” said an official requesting anonymity.

Last month, around 5,600 applications were approved while this month, 1,600 candidates got learner’s licence.

Meanwhile, the education cell of traffic wing of city police continues to hold awareness programmes at government schools informing the children about the hazards of underage driving. Nevertheless, during the grace period granted by the traffic police, the underage children, especially students, continue to ply two-wheelers.

Sub-inspector Daljit Singh, in-charge, traffic education cell, said though they were holding awareness programmes at various schools, it was found that children are still violating the norms in a rampant manner. “As the deadline is approaching, we sincerely hope that people understand and desist from this,” he said.