News courtesy-The Hindu

HYDERABAD: The Transport Department is planning to launch the much-awaited online slot booking system this Republic Day.

Under the new system, applicants can reserve a date and time for taking the driving licence tests at the Nagole driving track.

The online slot booking system would save valuable time for applicants in taking the driving licence tests at Nagole. Presently, they are forced to wait for hours at different Regional Transport offices in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts in obtaining the applications and taking the tests at the tracks.

After furnishing the required data on ‘ www.aptransport.org’ website, applicants can book permanent driving licence test slot at the Nagole testing track.

Applicants will be given token numbers as acknowledgement in receipt of their applications, Joint Transport Commissioner B. Venkateswarlu explained.
New tracks

This apart, the department is also planning to operate the two new driving tracks laid at Nagole RTA premises recently at a cost of Rs. 15 lakh. In all there are six driving tracks, including the two new tracks.

On an average, 400 applicants take driving licence tests at Nagole everyday.

Ever since, all the driving licence aspirants from five zones of Khairathabad, Secunderabad, Mehdipatnam, Malakpet and Bahadurpura were made to take the driving tests at Nagole, there has been heavy demand for more tracks, he informed.

Once the two new testing tracks come into operation, the department is planning to make the applicants from Uppal and Ibrahimpatnam RTA offices to take the driving tests at Nagole.

The objective behind the move was to curb the role of agents and middlemen as there were a series of raids by the Anti-corruption Bureau officials at these two offices last few months and several employees and agents were caught red-handed, informed another official.