Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Assam is overhauling how residents get behind the wheel. The Transport Department will soon enforce a mandatory driving test for every applicant. Transport Minister Charan Boro announced the shift Friday. He wants to stop the practice of handing out licences to people who skip the test entirely.
The new rules also kill the loophole allowing residents to apply for licences outside their home district. Boro said the state acted after a flood of complaints regarding shady licensing practices. “There have been several allegations that many people obtain driving licences without appearing for a driving test. We have also received complaints that some candidates do not even attend the test but still get licences. There are also instances where people from one district go to another district to obtain a driving licence,” Boro stated.
Road safety remains a massive problem. Assam logged 4,219 accidents and 1,008 deaths in the first three months of this year. Nine districts including Guwahati City, Nagaon, and Dhubri account for nearly half of those fatalities. Boro plans to visit District Transport Offices to inspect current infrastructure and force compliance.
Most offices currently lack proper testing tracks. Boro promised that every District Transport Office will feature a dedicated driving track by next year. He hopes these reforms ensure only skilled drivers hit the road.
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