The service lane on Chennai-Bangalore National Highway at Karapettai is being used by the Regional Transport Office (RTO) authorities as a testing track, after they were reportedly denied access to a piece of land near the RTO office.
The motor vehicle inspectors (MVIs), until recently, tested applicants on a small piece of land near the Anna Memorial Pillar at the Paranthur Road-National Highway junction.
The officials also used the open space for inspecting and testing the vehicles produced for validation of fitness certificates, etc. But, recently the open area was fenced off. The MVIs started conducting the tests on Paranthur Road and then shifted the testing venue to the service lane on the NH as the testing caused hindrance to those using Paranthur Road.
According to official sources, driving test for those seeking two-wheeler licence was conducted at a small cemented place behind the RTO office and the tests for LMV and other vehicles were conducted outside the office premises till the end of the last decade.
It was then decided to club the two-wheeler driving test exercises along with those for other vehicle categories at the open space near Paranthur junction from the beginning of this decade, after the testing track in the office premises turned unfit for conducting the tests.
Stating that efforts have been initiated to make a space behind the RTO office suitable for testing driving skills of those seeking two-wheeler licences within a fortnight, the regional transport officer, Kancheepuram, Nellaiyappar said a proposal forwarded by the RTO seeking allotment of 8 to 10 acres in the same area for setting up of testing track was pending with the district revenue department.
“If the proposal is approved then a full-fledged testing track can be set up where driving skills required for holding heavy vehicle licence can also be conducted”, he added.
