There may be good news for crores of drivers in the country soon. The central government is mulling major reforms to reduce the hassle of repeatedly renewing driver’s licences. According to sources, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is considering a proposal that could directly extend the driving license age.
Currently, a driving license in India is generally valid for 20 years or up to a certain age limit. Once the validity period has expired, drivers must apply to the regional transport office for license renewal. The process involves submission of various documents, collection of medical certificates and completion of administrative formalities. The new proposal is expected to reduce this pressure significantly.
According to ministry sources, the proposal is still in the discussion stage. However, if the plan is successful, driving licenses may be valid straight up to the age of 50. This will reduce the need for frequent license renewals and will benefit the common man in terms of time and money.
The Center is moving towards complete digitization of not only driving license but also various transport related services Transfer of ownership of a car or motorbike, permit renewal and other administrative tasks are planned to be done online. This will reduce the need for repeated visits to the RTO office and make the service faster and more transparent
However, some states have expressed concern over the proposal. They fear that the reduction in the number of license renewals may affect revenue collection. However, the Center has said that a modern system of online fee collection will be introduced to ensure that states do not face financial loss.
On one hand, there are plans to ease the rules for common citizens, on the other hand, the government is also thinking of getting tough on traffic law violations. According to the new proposal, ‘negative points’ will be added to the names of drivers who violate traffic rules.
If a driver accumulates too many demerit points within a certain period of time, his driving license may be temporarily suspended or, in severe cases, revoked. The administration believes that road safety will be strengthened.
However, all these proposals are still under discussion and the Union Ministry has not announced a specific date for their implementation. However, experts believe that if these proposals are approved, the country’s transport system will become more modern, paperless and citizen-friendly.
These potential reforms in the transport sector, if implemented, could have a significant impact on the daily lives of billions of drivers in the country.