THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite elaborate arrangements, the Motor Vehicle Department could not conduct driving tests as the applicants stayed away. Driving school owners also staged protests at test grounds in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kozhikode. They accused Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar of intimidating the applicants with his directions.
“The minister is telling the applicants to bring their vehicle for testing and warned them against absence. Applicants are scared to attend the test due to the new situation.Vehicles are usually provided by the motor driving schools. It is very difficult for an applicant to clear the ground test using bikes with larger wheelbase,” said Nazar Usman, general secretary of Motor Driving Owners Koottayma.
The minister in a statement on Thursday warned applicants that they would lose the chance to get slots anytime soon if they deliberately stayed away from appearing for the test. Later, his office clarified that applicants failing to appear for the test would not get a chance for the next six months. Meanwhile, MVD officers are confused about the fresh directions to provide vehicles and prepare grounds.
Out of the 86 test grounds, only 10 are on government land while the rest are with the driving schools.
As the driving schools refused to conduct tests on the land under their control, Ganesh Kumar directed the MVD to find available test grounds, including that of KSRTC, schools and private properties, to restart the tests from Friday.