Delhi: Online applications for driving licences doubles in 24 hours

The number of applications for driving licences has doubled in 24 hours after the online mode for payment of fees was reintroduced.

While the number of daily applications for driving licences stood around 300 till December 24, it shot up to over 700 on the next working day, which was Monday.

“We received 335 applications for driving licences till Saturday. After our online system of seeking appointments at Motor Licensing Offices (MLOs) and payments was streamlined, the number of applications has increased to more than 700 in a single day,” a government official said.

In a bid to introduce cashless transactions in its daily functioning, the transport department on Tuesday installed point of sale (POS) devices at all its 13 MLOs, enforcement offices and headquarters.

As many as 158 POS devices have been installed, with 103 of them being activated on the first day.

Apart from records going digital, the move is also going to help curb corruption and the involvement of touts. The project is being implemented immediately also because of the cash crunch that followed the Centre’s demonetisation of old ₹500 and ₹1,000 currency notes.

“The department received 66 transactions through different POS devices on Tuesday. The number is expected to increase in the coming days when the remaining machines are activated. All modes of e-payment like debit card and net banking would be accepted, except credit cards. Transport department is the first Delhi government agency to implement it,” the official added.

Even as the department aims to make all its transactions cashless by January 2017 onwards, MLOs said relying completely on online payment is going to take time.

“We have to keep both options — accepting payments through POS devices and cash — open for now. Our transactions range from ₹100 to several lakhs based on the volume of transaction as taxes vary accordingly. So, those paying fees of lower amounts do not want to pay via cards,” said an MLO on condition of anonymity.

Another MLO said there are a lot of teething problems that they were facing. “There are times when we have to do multiple transactions as the rush increases during certain seasons. The POS machines get overloaded and stop functioning for a while,” he said.

The department, however, stated it is keeping a tab on the issues being faced and is already working resolving them.

Earlier this month, Transport Minister Satyendar Jain had directed his department to start accepting fees and payments in the form of bank drafts and pay orders for all transport services in view of cash crunch after demonetisation.