The Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) has introduced ‘Smart Trace,’ an Android-based smartphone application to enable enforces verify driving licence and registration details while on the field.
Officials from the Assistant Motor Vehicles Inspector (AMVI) to the Regional Transport Officer (RTO) could access the details on their mobile phones, sources said.
The trial run of the application, developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) for the MVD, had started, official sources told The Hindu . The system would be fine-tuned and launched after May 16.
The application was presented to MVD officials in the capital on Wednesday. The International Mobile Station Equipment Identity number (IMEI number) of the smartphones held by enforcement officials would be added to the software developed by the NIC. (This process would enable the application on the officials’ phones). The officials would also get passwords to access the application, sources said.
The 800-odd enforcement officials would get access to the application and this would enable them to extract data from the central database, Joint Road transport Officer and project nodal officer P.M. Shaji said.
The existing practice of using SMS to get the details could be avoided. The department could save money as well. With the new application officials could instantly detect fake licences and identify vehicles that had been stolen, sources said.
International permitThe department would encourage online application for international driving permits. The names on the passport and driving licences of those applying should be the same. The applications should be submitted at the RTO from where the licence had been obtained. The quarterly filing of returns by stage carriages and applications for inspection of vehicles involved in road accidents would also be permitted online. The online filing of vehicle inspection details by officials would enable the department generate a database on road accidents in the State.