Electronic driving test tracks will be a reality in the city soon and in various districts of the State with the Transport Department entrusting the BMTC, KSRTC, NEKRTC and the PWD with the construction of the electronic driver’s testing track.
Bangalore will see its first electronic driver testing track at Electronics City.
To be set up in a 5-acre land, costing Rs 5 crore with at least six testing tracks for heavy and light vehicles as well as two-wheelers, the Transport Department plans to direct testing from various RTOs close by, such as Jayanagar, Electronics City etc to the electronic testing track.
Meanwhile, the department is also in the process of identifying land in other places in the city where it can set up similar tracks.
“We have identified land in the north and west side of the city where similar tracks can be set up,” an official said.
The BMTC and KSRTC have been given the project as the department did not have a civil construction wing and both the transport corporations are capable of handling the construction, considering that they are already involved in driver’s testing and have done similar exercises in the past, said the official.
The NEKRTC is constructing the electronic driving test track in Gulbarga and the PWD in Shimoga. The KSRTC is constructing the electronic driving test tracks in Mysore, Dharwad and Hassan.
“These testing tracks will go a long way in ensuring transparency in the issuing of licences, especially in checking two of the most common complaints - issuing licence without candidate even appearing for the test and issuing licence without candidate doing the test,” the official explained.
The driving test track will test the upward gradient, forward 8, reverse S and parallel parking capabilities of the candidate appearing for the test. There will be poles with sensors set up which will indicate when the vehicle touches it.
The testing tracks are likely to be ready by early next year, said the official adding that such tracks will go a long way in ensuring that there are good drivers on the road and thereby increasing road safety.