Telangana State not giving Centre's benefit to motorists

Hyderabad: Even though the Union government has extended the validity of driving licences, vehicle registration certificates, fitness certificates, and all kinds of permits that expired after February 2020 and could not be renewed because of the restrictions imposed to curb the Covid-19 pandemic till June 30, motorists have alleged that the Telangana Road Transport Department is not implementing the extension of date facility provided by the Centre.

With this, motorists are being asked to pay huge penalties for services such as the renewal of driving licences, insurance, and other facilities.

According to Dayanand, a road transport activist, the extension facility is not being implemented by the State Transport Department and the authority had not made any changes in its web portal, as per the Centre's directions on the extended date. "It is still not mentioned on the website," he said.

Dayanand claimed that the road transport department has issued a notice to pay a fine of Rs 1,000 since a month has already passed for the registrations or renewals.

The Meeseva centres and other slot booking centres were partially functional earlier during the lockdown restrictions due to which no motorist could make a slot booking. Now that the lockdown has been lifted, many motorists are unable to register the slot unless they pay the penalty. Most of the driving licences, permits, and registrations of other vehicles have not been renewed and the duration period has expired during the lockdown.

Recently, in an advisory, the Road Transport Authority and Highways Ministry directed all the state transport departments against prosecution motorists using documents that expired since February last year. The Ministry also issued an advisory that the validity of the documents that expired since February 1, the same should be treated to be valid till June 30, 2021. The enforcement authorities were told to treat such documents as valid till June 30, this year.

A motorist from Banjara Hills having a driving licence has registered a slot for the renewal of his car registration and permits. Normally the application fee is Rs 900, Rs 200 for smart card, Rs 400 for service charge, and Rs 85 for postal charges. The motorist said that in the form of a late fee he had to pay the penalty of more than Rs 3000.

There are a large number of people who are not able to renew their driving licences, registration certificates, permits for commercial vehicles, and fitness certificates for goods vehicles.

Another motorist M Suresh, who has registered a slot, was asked to pay the penalty or late fee as his fitness certificate renewal date expired the previous year. And, due to lockdown, he was unable to apply for the renewal, while he did, he had to pay the fine of Rs 2,800.

Motorists have urged the Telangana Road Transport Department to implement the Union government's order.