CHENNAI: Giving much relief for the public from serpentine queues at Regional Transport Offices (RTO), the transport department in coordination with National Informatics Centre (NIC) has upgraded the online parivahan portal to enable Learners Licence applicants to book appointments online.
While passport offices had already introduced such a system years ago, the transport department is perhaps the first among the State government departments in introducing dedicated time slots for public services online.
While filling the learners licence registration (LLR) applications online through upgraded portal (https://parivahan.gov.in/parivahan/) applicants will have another option to book their appointments for learners licence tests.
“After uploading the relevant documents, the applicants will have an option to chose the timings to visit their respective RTO offices for taking tests. The system was introduced a week ago across Tamil Nadu,” V Balan, Joint Commissioner, Transport, told Express.
So far, the applicants were forced to wait for two to three hours at RTO offices for taking tests. At times, ‘agents’ at RTO offices used to take new applicants for tests skipping the queues. The new system is expected to reduce malpractices and ensure transparency in processing the applications.
Officials at KK Nagar RTO office said the online portal will have preloaded list of applicants who had booked their appointments. “No new application can be processed for the learners licence tests, bypassing those who have already booked appointments. Thereby the system will reduce the waiting time at RTO offices,” official sources said.
The appointment system has been received well among the applicants, who say this is the first such service provided by a state government department.
S Kumar, a learners licence applicant from K K Nagar said he was able to complete the procedures within 20 minutes, which normally in the past would have taken hours. “It has been several years since passport offices introduced such a system. All other services including driving licence and other taluk offices services should be upgraded to have time slots,” he added.
Since implementation, the Transport commissioner C Samayamoorthy has instructed RTO’s to adhere to the appointments, the sources said. Balan said once the new system is successfully implemented, for other transport services also appointment system will get extended.” About 5,500 learners licences are issued in a day in Tamil Nadu.
Presently, all transport services, including issue of driving licence, registration certificate for new vehicle, transfer of vehicle, fitness certificate, change of address, name change and permit change are being processed through the upgraded software (https://parivahan.gov.in/parivahan/), developed by NIC for Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. In addition, all service charges and taxes are being received through online.