Driving licence applicants and vehicle owners in the city will be given smart cards in place of printed documents. The smart card, embedded with a computer chip, will have several security features.
The smart card system for licences and vehicle registration was inaugurated by Transport Minister M.R. Vijayabhaskar at a function at the Regional Transport Office South Chennai, Thiruvanmiyur, on Tuesday.
Mr. Vijayabhaskar said the system was being implemented after the recent announcement in the Assembly by the Chief Minister.
A senior official of the State Transport Authority said the smart card would be produced according to the specifications issued by the Centre and will have two sections — VIZ (Visual Interpretation Zone) and MRZ (Machine Readable Zone). The smart card has several security features.
Speedy issuance
The driving licences and vehicle registration certificates can be obtained within one hour from the time of completing the driving tests and providing the required data.
The system, which was introduced on a pilot basis a few years ago in Thiruvanmiyur, Cuddalore and Sivaganga, would be implemented in all the 24 RTOs in the city and also Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur districts.
