Much to the public’s dismay, the District Transport Office (DTO) is unlikely to resume its services related to issuance of all permits, documents including driver’s license till the end of the current year.
According to an official source within the department, services pertaining to issuance of driver’s license and other permits and documents would not be available till December as biometric capturing of applicant’s details has remained suspended as a precautionary measure to contain potential spread of Covid-19 since March this year.
It informed that in view of the threat of the contagion, the Directorate of Transport earlier in March issued an office memorandum which ordered for suspension of capturing of digital signature and handling of common IT gadgets by applicants of Learner’s Licence and the grant of learners’ licence under Section 8 of the MV Act 1988 until further orders.
Disclosing that the office is, as such, currently unable to issue any official documents on its own, it said that this is despite the fact that it continues to receive applications for fresh licenses, permits and others.
The source continued that the government had informed all the vehicle owners, drivers, transport associations, societies and other stake holders about extension of validity of necessary documents till December.
“Validity of documents such as fitness, permit, learners’ license, driving license, registration or any other such documents whose extension of validity could not be granted due to lockdown and which had expired since 1 Feb 2020 or would expire by 31 December, 2020, the same may be treated to be valid till 31 December2020,” another office memorandum dated 28 August had stated.
It then added that the services would remain halted till the directorate issues further orders for resumption of the biometric tasks.
On the other hand, the prolonged dormancy of the department which is supposed to be astir with visitors, has not apparently gone down well with the public.
Many of those who have been frequently visiting the office, rued that the inefficacious department is putting the public to great perils.
“Most of the departments have resumed their duties since the unlock announced by the government, but not this transport office,” one of the town’s residents contended.
Some others have also vented their angst against the unreliable services of the transport department on the social media platforms, urging the civil societies of the district to look into the plights of the common people who are at the receiving end of the situation.