Maharashtra RTO resumes vehicle registration and issuing of permanent and learner driving licences
The Maharashtra RTO (Regional Transport Office) had shut its process of issuing driving licences for the past couple of months due to the ongoing pandemic. However, the body has now decided to resume operations of issuing licence and registration of vehicles at all its 50 offices spread across the state, as reported by TOI. Both the permanent and learner licences will be issued by the Maharashtra RTO by adhering to all the guidelines of social distancing to negate the spread of the dreadful Coronavirus.
These RTOs will be taking a call on the number of applicants who can come to apply for the learner licence, depending on the availability of space as there has to be a minimum space of six feet between the candidates taking the computerised tests. It has also been stated that after every candidate completes his computerised driving licence test, the computer will be thoroughly sanitised before the next candidate begins the test. Candidates will only be allowed into the test centre with gloves and mask. Additionally, they have to take a prior appointment by visiting the RTO website.
However, as the Bareilly RTO resumed operations too, the applicants were seen flouting the guidelines, according to another report by TOI. These candidates were seen without masks or gloves and were also not respecting the social distancing norms as they formed their own cues and stood close to each other against the six-feet distance mandated by the government. The Bareilly RTO was under lockdown for three months. Under Unlock 1.0, it will be issuing licences only to those applicants who had applied for the same before the lockdown or the ones with expired learner licences. While the RTO has mentioned of a limited number of seats, it witnessed 180 to 200 people stepping in who also complained that the online appointment booking was not functioning well. The RTO has now decided to function in shifts to avoid crowding at the venue and to maintain social distancing.