Hon’ble Arvinder Singh Lovely,
Transport Minister,
Govt. of NCT of Delhi.
6th Floor, Delhi Secretariat
New Delhi-110 002.
8.4.2009.
Respected Lovely ji,
I have recently undergone the exercise of renewing my driving licence and this proved a trauma to me. At the time of applying for renewal at Janak Puri, I was told that I have to go to the Authority office at Anand Vihar first for the transfer of Licence, from where the licence was originally issued. First, I failed to understand that while the license has already been expired and also being surrendered, what was the need of the same? Why it cannot be cancelled online if at all necessary, by interlinking all the offices of the Authorities at least in Delhi. When the banks can provide financial services all over the country, why the Delhi govt. cannot provide internet links to barely sever transport authorities in Delhi?
2. I had to go to Anand Vihar but there, I came to know that Authority office has been transferred to Mayur Vihar while at Janak Puri, I was told to go to Anand Vihar and was not given up dated information. At the Mayur Vihar office, I was told that apart from the old licence etc., Authority also require the application forms and other enclosures for applying the renewal of licence before transferring the expired licence at Mayur Vihar office.
3. Finally, I had to take the help of an agent who charged Rs. 300/- (Rs. 50/- as fee and Rs. 250/- as his service charges). After that, I was able to get the required papers from the Authority at Mayur Vihar. The agent was able to do the needful without the aforesaid formalities.
4. But on going back to the Janak Puri office, the official vetting the applications refused to clear the application pointing out that the Authority at Mayur Vihar has written “DL Transfer to Janakpuri for further renewal” while it should have written “DL Transfer to South West Zone….. as there are two Authorities at Janakpuri. Against this refusal, my submission with Mr. Hem Raj, Traffic Inspector to allow renewal, as this did not make any material difference have gone in vain. Finally I tried to meet the Motor Licensing Officer who incidentally, he was on leave. But on further inquiries, I met with his junior officer in room number 120 and he advised me to give request in writing. On that request, he allowed renewal by depositing the fee and taking further action.
5. The question is whether common men can undertake all these hassles and spare so much time. They will therefore find it easy to take help of agents by paying some hundred rupees for saving their time and botheration. Even, I had to make three or four visits of Mayur Vihar and Janak Puri offices and despite that had to take the help of an agent. This was despite that it was displayed at the Authority’s office to deal with the Authority directly without contacting the agents.
6. The agent told me that he has to share the amount taken from the clients with the officials also and therefore can’t take less. I do not know whether this comes under the definition of bribe or now or I, a law abiding citizen has broken any law by payment the service charge to the agent or not.
7. Can’t the procedure of renewal be made simple by surrendering the previous expiring or expired license at the authority office at the time of renewal? The complicated procedure propagates corruption.
8. Moreover, the working hours of the Transport Authority office have been mentioned from 8.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. on all working days at the transport deptt website. On the contrary to this the fee is deposited up to 11.00 a.m. only on Saturday at Janak Puri (SWZ). Either the website should be updated or fee should be deposited up to the time shown on the site so that the citizens are not to put to unnecessary harassment.
9. If this reform can be executed, the general public will get a big relief. I appeal you to please ensure the networking of the Authorities offices and ensure that the Authorities adhere to the working hours mentioned on Delhi’s govt. website.
Yours faithfully,
M. K. Gupta,
M- 9810550172.
Copy to: Shri Rajani Kant Verma, IAS, Secretary-cum-Commissioner (Transport),
Transport Department, 5/9, Under Hill Road, Delhi-110 054
by email – rajani.k.verma@gmail.com
