Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. (Bhushan Koyande/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)From July 2019, all driving licences (DL) and registration certificates (RC) will bear uniformity in their look, design, colour and also exercise similar security features. This applies to all the states and union territories of India.
Termed as ‘smart DL and RC’, they come with embedded microchips and QR codes. The near-field communication (NFC) feature will be enabled, similar to that in a metro card so that details can be easily accessed by the law enforcement agencies, Times of India reported.
A declaration to donate organs will be included in the new cards. Emission norms will also be specified. The old cards will be replaced with new ones for those who apply for renewal. The process has begun and cards are being rolled out gradually.
Times of India quoted an official from the Ministry of Transport as saying, “It will directly give access to the URL having details of the particular vehicle or driver including past records as stored in the central data base of Vahan (for vehicles) and Sarthi (for drivers).”
The new features will only add a burden of Rs 15 or Rs 20 per card, hence it shouldn’t be a very big problem for the states.
An Appeal...
Dear Reader,
As you are no doubt aware, Swarajya is a media product that is directly dependent on support from its readers in the form of subscriptions. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake.
Our business model is you and your subscription. And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever.
We deliver over 10 - 15 high quality articles with expert insights and views. From 7AM in the morning to 10PM late night we operate to ensure you, the reader, get to see what is just right.
Becoming a Patron or a subscriber for as little as Rs 1200/year is the best way you can support our efforts.