MUMBAI: All learner’s licence and permanent driving licence tests have been cancelled at RTOs in Maharashtra and no private vehicles are being registered till May 1, state transport commissioner Avinash Dhakne said on Thursday.
The halt in private car and bike registrations could hit the economy, which was recovering from the slump during Covid last year.
“We are registering transport vehicles and completing pending work which can be done online,” Dhakne said. There are special directives to register on priority essential service vehicles, which will be required for medical and other emergencies during Covid-19, such as ambulances.
Another official said, “With the shutdown in registrations and uncertainty over whether lockdown will be lifted on May 1, it will not only hit private vehicle registrations but the automobile industry too. At least 4,200 cars and bikes will not be registered due to the shutdown during these 10 days.”
Expired driving licences to be now valid till June 30: State
Those who have booked vehicles will have to wait for dealers to get them registered, and this will only begin once we get orders from government,” said the official.
Transport statistics during Covid (April 2020-March 2021) show around 3,487 private cars and 9,374 bikes were registered every month (12,861 cars and bikes every month). The numbers were higher during pre-Covid times, when an average 4,038 cars and 13,404 two-wheelers were registered at the four city RTOs. The vehicular population in Mumbai recently crossed 40 lakh, with 11.6 lakh private cars and nearly 24 lakh twowheelers registered at Mumbai RTOs.
A year back, RTO operations for vehicle registrations were shut due to Covid, which led to drop in vehicle registrations in the year, an official said.
In a new circular, transport department announced that driving licences and permits which expired will be valid till June 30. It stated that “no new application will be accepted for duplicate licence and renewal of licences till further notice. But old applications on Saarthi software will be processed online and completed.” Similarly, renewal of fitness certificates will be mainly for essential vehicles, which are allowed on the road as per a government notification.
Meanwhile, RTO has banned visitors. “We do not want anyone to visit office. We will work with few staff as per a government notification,” a regional transport officer from Mumbai said.
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