The Western India Automobile Association (WIAA) became the first private automobile association in the world to issue driving licences in the form of smart cards to its members. A look at the facility which is yet to become popular because of a number of factors
The Western India Automobile Association (WIAA) became the first private automobile association in the world to issue driving licences in the form of smart cards to its members. A look at the facility which is yet to become popular because of a number of factors
It was in 2006 when the smart card system was launched in Maharashtra. A total of 87,37,002 smart cards have been dispatched since then. The numbers are not very impressive.
Traffic cops on duty
In a step towards encouraging more people to convert their licence booklets into smart cards, several Regional Transport Offices (RTO) in Mumbai, for the first time have outsourced part of their services, which include issuing learner's licences and smart card driving licences, to WIAA.
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The WIAA is now providing smart card driving licences and learner's licences for its 80,000 members in the city at its Churchgate office. The service will be monitored by WIAA along with RTO officials. Said Executive Chairman of WIAA, Nitin Dossa, "Foru00a0 the first time in the world, an automobile association is doing something like this."
The facility was launched in the presence of the Chief Minister, Prithviraj Chavan on June 29. Talking about smart card driving licences, Chavan said that smart cards are, "more user-friendly. Also they are effective as data can be stored online."
Number
Transport department officials say that the number of people who come to get smart cards is quite low compared to the number of vehicles in the state. According to the Transport Department of Maharashtra , 'Motor Vehicle numbers in Maharashtra as on March 31, 2007 was 1,21,70,991.'
"The number of people who come to get smart cards is not very large. Lack of awareness is an issue. We want people to convert their old licence booklets into smart cards, as it will be convenient for them to carry it around. This will also help us to get all our data computerised," said Uday Alsi, Deputy Transport Commissioner (Computer).
Replace
Launched by the Government of Maharashtra five years ago, smart cards were meant to replace driving licences in the form of a booklet. Smart cards have a 4 KB memory chip, which can store biometric details of the individual.
Biometric details include the thump impression and the picture of the individual who wants a driving licence. These cards also contain a gradation system and have details of an individual's driving record.
Explained Alsi, "There are three different categories of people who approach us for smart cards. First, there are people who want a driving licence.
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Within a few days they get their licence in the form of a smart card. There are people who come to get their driving licence renewed. There are also people who find smart cards more convenient and hence, change from licence booklet to smart card."
Procedure
A person seeking a smart card driving licence has to go to a RTO and submit his ID proof, age proof, address proof and fill up an application form. The person's biometrics is then captured using a computer.
The smart card driving licence is then couriered to the individual within four days. Not only driving licences, even learner's licences are in the form of smart cards.
Bharat Kalaskar, Deputy RTO, Andheri office said, "Smart cards are very handy. The picture is taken through a webcam, thumb impression is taken, signature of the individual is taken and the smart card is then sent."
Genuine
Information is available on computers, which will also make it easier for traffic police to check the past record of any driver. People could earlier get fake driving licences through various agents but authorities say that smart cards make the procedure more stringent as these cards can store biometric information of the drivers.
Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan presents smart card to Executive Chairman of WIAA, Nitin Dossa
While emphasising the importance of smart cards, Chavan said, "Unlike previous instances where anybody could get a fake driving licence or learner's licence made, smart cards will be genuine."
Convenient
Many people are happy to do away with their old licence booklets. Said Dr Shubhalaxmi Vaylure, a scientist from Kharghar, who got her smart card driving licence three years ago, "I got my licence when the RTO had organised a camp in Kharghar.
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In this camp, we could just walk in and get our smart card driving licences made. This saves us a lot of trouble from going to RTOs and standing in long queues. The process is also much faster."
Pruthu K Dayal from Worli finds smart card driving licence convenient as, "it can fit easily into your wallet and is waterproof. Also, when you renew your driving licence, the authorities put a stamp on it, which says 'duplicate'. In a lot of places, people are skeptical to accept driving licences with duplicate written on it. Smart cards do not have such problems."
Dr Hema Kapadia shows her tattered driving licence and says that she too is planning to get her smart card. "My old driving licence is almost torn. So I am planning to get a smart card," said Kapadia from Pedder Road. Her mother Gunvanti Kapadia (85) has been driving for 62 years and she too plans to get a smart card.
Deterrent
The fee for getting a driving licence is Rs 50 whereas the fee for getting a smart card is Rs 200. "Smart cards have chips in them and the whole process is computerised. Hence we have to charge more," said an official from the transport department on condition of anonymity.
Long queues in RTOs deter many people from getting their smart cards done. Even the Chief Minister of the State, at the inauguration ceremony of smart card facility held at WIAA, acknowledged the fact that the RTOs in the city needed a facelift.
Said Dilshat Ahmed from Churchgate, who has a licence booklet, "I have heard that people have to stand in long queues at RTOs to get their work done. Individually filling up your forms can be quite cumbersome at times I believe." 
A smart card driving licence
Hence a lot of people take help from agents or get their driving licence through motor training schools. "I too had paid an agent to get my licence done. The process is easier and much faster that way," said a trainer of a driving school in Andheri on condition of anonymity.
To encourage people to convert their licence booklet into smart card, mobile van services have been started in Pune so that people don't have to come to RTOsu00a0 to get their smart cards. "If the project is successful in Pune, we would implement it in Mumbai too," said an official from the Transport Department.
Howu00a0to getu00a0Smart Cards?
Go to a RTO and submit ID proof, age proof, address proof and fill up an application form. The person's biometrics is then captured using a computer. Biometric details will include the thump impression and the picture of the individual who wants a driving licence. The smart card, is then couriered to the individual within 3-4 days.
At the WIAA
The WIAA in association with the Transport Department will now provide smart card driving licences and learner's licences to its 80,000 members.
The biometric smart card facility was launched at WIAA's Churchgate office on June 29 in presence of Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Prithviraj Chavan.
Members of WIAA can now submit their documents and get their driving licence at the Churchgate office itself. "Such a facility will ensure that driving licences obtained by people are genuine.
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The process of getting a smart card driving licence will also be made easier as people don't have to go to the RTO offices anymore," said Chavan.
Smart card: Rs 200
Licence booklet: Rs 50
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