Red Tape In Red Land: Why Over 2 Lakh DL Applicants In Kerala May Have To Wait For A Year For Their Licences

A technical snag in Kerala’s Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) server has put in jeopardy the driving licence prospects of more than 2 lakh individuals.

Due to server related issues, the MVD has lost the applications and related documents of individuals who applied for a practical driving test during this period between December 2020 and 21 July 2021.

A year long wait for the driving license?

The applicants whose data got lost have already passed the learner’s test and thus applied for the practical driving test. As the permit issued to a learner is valid only for six months, the practical test is supposed to be completed within that time frame only.

Now, if the server issue is not resolved soon, or any particular provision is made for this specific case, these individuals will not only have to repay the application fee, i.e. Rs 300, but will also have to redo the six-month long process to renew their learner test’s validity.

Consequently, these applicants may have to wait for an entire year to get their driving licenses done, which is quite tiresome and unfortunate, especially when it's not their fault.

What do the authorities have to say?

It is noteworthy that during the Covid-19 period, many people, instead of going to some motor driving school, learnt driving from their home itself, and hence a considerable upsurge was seen in the number of applications for a driving license.

The MVD server faced the technical issue amidst this.

MVD officials said that the issue can be resolved after September 30. They maintain that the practical tests can be conducted on Saturdays. However, it is important to note that only 90 individuals can take driving tests in a given centre at once.

Meanwhile, applications after July 21, 2021 are considered for the practical test, reports Matrubhumi.

Given the alarming Covid numbers in Kerala amid the speculations of another wave, the logistic limitations and laxity on part of the MVD officials, the applicants are worried that might have to wait for even more than a year.