NEW DELHI: After launching automated driving license test scheme, the Transport Department of Delhi government on Friday took another major step in the licensing department with Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Friday directing motor licensing officers (MLOs) to respond to public grievances received through e-mails within 24 hours.
He also asked senior officers to keep a tab on the grievances and said he had received a lot of complaints that public grievances were going unanswered by MLOs.
"I have been receiving complaints of public grievances going unattended at MLOs offices. From now on all emails will have to be responded to within 24 hours. Relevant directions issued," Gahlot said in a tweet on Friday.
In an order to the Commissioner (Transport), Gahlot pointed out that e-mail has emerged as a major source of communication and all MLOs need to be sensitised that they must respond within 24 hours to the e-mails they received.
The minister has also sought a report on the number of e-mails received by MLOs each day, replies and reasons for not replying.
He also asked Special Commissioner (Transport) for review of compliance status in weekly meetings with the MLOs. The Commissioner (Transport) has also been directed for a review in meetings with senior officers of the Transport Department.
This year, the Delhi government has taken various steps to streamline driving license issuing policies. According to officials, after the Transport Department received observations from Delhi Police that most road accidents take place as drivers do not have sufficient knowledge of driving.
In January, the government launched centres for automated driving license tests, that will be conducted in the absence of any official but through cameras installed all around. The first such centre was established in Sarai Kale Khan on January 26, with Gahlot saying that this step will prevent non-qualified people from getting license and reduce the number of road accidents.
Various reports noted that since the automated driving licence system was launched in south Delhi, there has been over 50 per cent decline in the number of people clearing the test.
A senior official of the Transport Department confirmed this and said that 50 out of around 150 people successfully clear the test now, as compared over 120 out of 250 people who cleared the manual test. The new automated centres comprise eight tracks with in-built sensors, which send a signal if a vehicle touches the edge of the tracks.
An area has been dedicated to check reverse parking skills of drivers, driving uphill and swerving areas.