RTO will collaborate with the traffic police to ensure that repeat traffic offenders find it harder to apply for an International Driving Permit
RTO
For those who don’t consider road safety enough of an incentive to drive safely on Indian roads, the Regional Transport Office (RTO) may soon be able to ensure that they can’t drive in any other country. In collaboration with the traffic police
department, the RTO will now check applications for International Driving Permits (IDP) against applicants’ history of traffic offences.
Safety rider: The RTO can reject an IDP application if they find that the applicant has a history of committing traffic offences. File pic
The Pune RTO is already in talks with the traffic department for access to its road safety application, ‘Pune traffic app’. With it, RTO officials will be able to check whether the applicants have any offences registered under their driving licences.
Depending on the kind of offences, the RTO could then decide to either issue the IDP or reject the application. Anil Valiv, deputy regional transport officer, said, “Earlier, there was no way to check the driving history of a particular person. Now, with the help of the application, we can not only check the history of offences that the driver has committed, but can also put remarks in the IDP about the offences. If the offences are serious then their applications could be rejected at the RTO’s discretion.”
Welcoming the transport authority’s decision, Deputy Commissioner of Police (traffic), Vishwas Pandhare said the department will give them all possible support. “It is a good move. This will not only create fear in the minds of those who are going abroad and planning to drive there, but also in the minds of citizens driving here. They will realise that all their traffic violations are being registered. It will eventually help reduce the number of traffic violations and bring down road accidents as well,” Pandhare said.
Getting stricter
The RTO will also enforce stringent regulations for the documents needed along with IDP applications, said Valiv. “While applying for IDP, the applicant must provide their original passport, visa and a medical certificate and physical fitness certificate from an MBBS-certified doctor, along with four passport-size photographs,” he said. “It is essential that the address on the driving licence and on the passport has to be the same. If the address is different, the applicant has to get an affidavit along with a supporting document like Aadhaar card, bank passbook, index II as the address proof,” Valiv added.
ADVERTISEMENT
2,897
The number of IDPs issued last year
1,583
Number of IDPs issued so far this year
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
