Delay in Issuance of Smart Cards Causes Inconvenience in Hyderabad
Motorists in Hyderabad are facing delays in receiving their smart cards from the Road Transport Authority (RTA). These smart cards contain crucial details about Registration Certificates (RCs) and Driving Licenses (DLs).
Daily Transactions Affected
The delay has been ongoing for the last 15 days and is affecting daily transactions in Greater Hyderabad. Motorists are forced to visit RTA offices multiple times due to this issue.
Halt in Smart Card Printing
Some RTA offices have stopped printing smart cards altogether. Typically, these offices print 400-500 smart cards daily, but the shortage has halted this process.
Wide-ranging Impact
The delay is affecting various documents including RCs, DLs, C-books, duplicate licenses, and renewal cards. Over 500-600 transactions are impacted daily across eleven RTA offices in the city.
Lack of Communication
The RTA has not been sending SMS alerts or informing the media about these delays. This lack of communication is adding to the frustration of vehicle owners.
Complaints from Public
M Dayanand, general secretary of the Telangana Auto and Motor Welfare Union, criticized the RTA for collecting fees but failing to deliver timely service. He mentioned that authorities in other states are not accepting temporary slips, causing further inconvenience.
Committee Actions Unclear
A committee was set up by former transport minister Vemula Prashant Reddy to resolve such issues. However, it is unclear if the current government continues to support this initiative.
Temporary Registration Stickers
Due to the delays, many vehicle owners are using Temporary Registration (TR) stickers. This creates problems when fixing number plates, crossing state borders, and during vehicle checks, as the high-security registration plate can only be fixed after seeing the original RC card.
