Set in motion: Mobile office for driving licences to be launched before year end

KARACHI:

To instantly issue learner’s driving licence to university students, the Sindh traffic police is going to launch a mobile driving licence office in the city soon.

Like the mobile courts and National Database and Registration Authority’s mobile registration office launched in the country earlier, the driving licence team of the Sindh traffic police will visit universities and colleges to issue learner’s licence on the spot.

The project will kick off once the traffic police acquire a bus and electronic equipment ready for the project. “The inspector general of Police (IGP) is not giving the required funds and we don’t have enough money to start the project either,” said an official of the traffic police, adding that they have finalised a deal with a private company which has agreed to provide the bus. However, it would take 15 to 20 days to convert it into a mobile office.



The fee for motorcycle learner’s driving licence will be Rs200 while the fee for driving both car and motorcycle will be Rs250, which includes Rs100 for medical check-up and the rest is the government fee. The mobile driving licence branch will work five days a week.

Sindh Traffic police’s additional inspector-general Ghulam Qadir Thebo confirmed the information, saying that the initiative has been taken to encourage the youth to get their driving licences themselves. “Youngsters, particularly girls, find it uncomfortable to visit the designated branches for driving licences. This is why we are starting a mobile driving licence branch,” said Thebo, adding that on the first day of the launch the vehicle will take off from outside the press club.

He also confirmed the reports that private companies are sponsoring the project. The team of traffic police comprises mainly female staffers to facilitate female applicants, he added.

“The branch will operate till needed. The traffic police have been provided with study guides for driving to be provided to students for free,” he said, adding that the application form is also free and this will allow applicants to prepare themselves for permanent licences.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 8^th, 2013.