HYDERABAD: Owing to the alleged negligence of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA), illegal driving schools for light motor vehicles have become rampant in the city. These schools operate without adhering to most of the motor vehicle rules.
It has been discovered that out of the 1,000 driving schools in the city, at least 800 of them are operating illegally, without renewing their licences, vehicle insurance and fitness certificates after their initial validity ran out. Furthermore, it has been reported that the owners of these driving schools are running five to six branches in different parts of the city with only one valid licence.
M Dayanand, the general secretary of the Telangana Auto and Motor Welfare Union, has raised concerns about the lack of action from vigilance officials in response to the rise of these schools. “It is high time for the RTA to conduct inspections and take action against these driving schools that are flouting the rules,” he said.
‘Focus on quantity, not quality’
According to regulations, trainers at driving schools are required to have a diploma in Mechanical Engineering as well as a heavy motor vehicle licence with a badge while instructors should hold a degree in Automobile Engineering. Additionally, driving schools must have a separate room for teaching road rules, accident response procedures and other driving techniques.
Driving school owners are required to pay Rs 5,000 towards government fees for licence renewal every three years. In the event that a driving school is found to be non-compliant during an inspection by the RTA, the vehicle used for driving instruction may be seized, and the trainer may be prosecuted under the MV Act. However, despite not following any rules, these illegal driving schools continue to operate without consequence, say sources.
According to Rule 31 (4) of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, there are limits on the number of candidates a trainer can provide training to. For non-transport vehicles, trainers can train up to 22 candidates per month, and for transport vehicles, the number of candidates should not exceed 11 per month.
Training on busy roads
Despite the limits mentioned above, driving schools often exceed them, teaching an average of 10 to 15 people per day. Furthermore, the proper procedure dictates that driving instruction should begin in open fields before moving onto roads with traffic. However, the majority of driving schools directly teach on the roads during morning and evening hours without adhering to this process.
In addition to the aforementioned issues, driving schools are also taking advantage of learners by charging fees ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000 per month and providing inadequate instruction, with learners covering only 5 km on average. Learners report that driving schools prioritise completing the course quickly rather than providing thorough instruction.
Despite multiple attempts to contact a senior RTA official, TNIE wasn’t able to receive a response from authorities regarding the rise of illegal driving schools in Hyderabad.