No more RC smart cards for new vehicles

RCs will be in a digitised format and printed on paper

November 02, 2021 01:15 am | Updated 10:19 am IST - Bengaluru

A representational image.

A representational image.

After issuing smart cards for registration certificates (RCs) for over 12 years, the Transport Department will do away with the exercise in the future. Instead of smart cards, owners of new vehicles will get their RCs in a digitised format and printed on paper.

On Monday, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai launched 30 contactless online services related to the Transport Department.

Among the services, the prominent ones are registration of new vehicles (non-transport) at the dealer point, issuing of learning licence, transfer of ownership, temporary registration certificate, and issuing of international driving permit.

Rajender Kumar Kataria, Principal Secretary of Transport Department told The Hindu , that doing away with physical verification for registration of new vehicles is a major change.

‘Physical verification’

“Earlier, the RTOs were insisting on physical verification of vehicles prior to registration. This was causing inconvenience to vehicle owners. Now, dealers can register the vehicles by filling forms online and paying tax without producing the vehicle for inspection. Allotment of registration number happens online. The timeline for registration of vehicles will get drastically reduced in the coming days,” he said.

‘Digital format’

Asked what will happen to RC smart cards that have been issued by the department for over a decade, he said, “As per the rules specified for the Central Government, RCs should be made available through the digital format. When law enforcement authorities ask, they can be produced through DigiLocker or printed RC. There is no need for issuing existing smart cards for RC. However, the smart card for driving licences continue to be issued.”

The Transport Department launched smart cards for driving licences and RCs in 2009, but it has hardly been of any use as enforcing authorities do not have the readers available with them to read the chip card that are inserted in these smart cards.

Use of paper

In addition, the online services will reduce use of papers drastically at RTOs. Every year, more than 12 lakh vehicles get registered in the State and 23 to 25 lakh people apply for learning licences and lakhs of people go to RTOs for various other services.

“Till now, files are getting piled up at RTOs. Each file would have at least six papers, basically photocopies of various documents such as Aadhaar, vehicle documents, and others. When we shift to online, paper consumption gets reduced. Providing 30 online services will result in saving crores of sheets of paper,” Mr. Kataria said.

He added that the Central Government facilitated RTO services through Sarathi and Vahan categories.

“Provisions have been made to provide certain services on online mode where the general public need not visit the RTOs. The administrative reforms committee formed by the State Government too had recommended providing certain services online and the department is implementing them,” he said, adding that Delhi, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh have already introduced many online services pertaining to the Transport Department.

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