Noida: A big news has come out for the residents of Noida, Gautam Buddha Nagar. People of Noida will now have to visit Dadri from August 1 to get a driving license. Because the Transport Department has now decided to stop training and tests at the Noida office.
The distance between Noida and Dadri is about 35 kilometers. The Yogi government has given the responsibility of driving license to a third party. The name of the company which has been given this responsibility is Shivam (Marbles) Driving and Training Center.
The company has set up a unit with simulators and tracks near Bisara in Dadri to conduct automated and CCTV-monitored training and driving tests before issuing driving licences to applicants. Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO) Siyaram Verma said the transport department in Sector 33 will no longer process driving licence applications after July 31. Applicants from Noida and Greater Noida will have to visit the Dadri centre for tests and training from August 1.
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On an average, 7,000 applications are received every month
Verma said private companies are being roped in to provide relief to the transport department, which is already burdened with paperwork. An estimated 7,000 applications for driving licences are received every month and on an average 5,000 applications are processed after tests and training. The second centre, run by Sai Fire Appliances Pvt Ltd, will be set up in Jewar. Three more are also in the pipeline, Verma said.
Locals unhappy
However, many residents claimed that the decision to set up driving centres in Dadri and Jewar was impractical because of the distance. “If the government wants to set up centres in Dadri or Jewar, they can. But why should they stop this service for residents at the Noida office? We will meet the RTO officials and demand that the service not be suspended at the Noida office,” said KK Jain, general secretary of the Federation of Noida Residents Welfare Association (FONRWA). Noida is around 35 km from Dadri and around 50 km from Jewar.
Training fees range from Rs 500 to Rs 10,000
Meanwhile, Shivam DTC owner Pawan Bansal told TOI that the Dadri centre is built on 2 acres and is equipped with an advanced driving track, simulators and CCTV cameras. The DTC will offer training courses for light, medium and heavy motor vehicles, as well as specialised courses in night and hill driving, wet weather driving and handling vehicles carrying dangerous goods. The course fees will range from Rs 500 to Rs 10,000.
