Subject - my visit to RTO
My driving licence validity was about to expire in less than a fortnight. To renew the same, I did a bit of search on the mighty web and gathered all the required information. This information is available on the state RTO website. Since i am above 50 years, all it required was to submit 2 forms. CMV-9 is the form to be filled by applicant for DL renewal while another form CMV-1 needs to be filled by a registered doctor certifying that the applicant is medically fit to drive vehicles on Indian roads. To be doubly sure, I called up a near by driving school on the procedure to get it renewed. The person who picked up my call said they need the original DL with 3 passport size photos and a fee of Rs 400/-. I asked him about the medical fitness certificate, he laughed at me and said they will take care of all those formalities. And he mentioned in a very confident voice that I don’t have to waste my time in running to govt offices. I thanked him for the information provided and decided to get it renewed without having to go through illegal ways.
I promptly went to the RTO office in Tiruvanmiyur and collected both the forms available at reception. RTO Office .. Now, we had to get the medical fitness certificate. Our family doctor’s clinic is close to this office and I was about to head towards the clinic. While I was coming out, noticed a sign board of a red medical cross. When I carefully observed that sign board, it wasn’t a clinic of a doctor. But it had a mention of “medical fitness certificates” service availability. On the outlook, that store had a photocopying machine and a whole bunch of forms that I saw in the RTO reception. That store keeper was selling those *FREE* forms at a *nominal* cost! When I asked him about the fitness certificate he just asked me for a passport sized photograph, name of the applicant and a *FEE* of Rs. 50/-. I was reluctant and asked him the whereabouts of a doctor. He said, you don’t have to panic about all those things, furnish the 3 pre-requisites and he will get it done in less than 5 minutes! We said thanks but denied his *service*. We got the medical fitness certificate from our family doctor. Submitted the application forms along with a renewal fee or Rs 50/- at the RTO cash counter. Then gave the license at the counter for renewal which we had to collect on the next working day.
All that we spent for renewing the driving license was just Rs. 75/- (50 at RTO counter and 25 to the doctor). Now the question on my mind… though these illegal operators are widespread, why is that the RTO officials not taking any action? The worst is that the medical certificate providers are in the same building! Do the RTO officials ever wake up and take stringent action on these people? No wonder we have so many accidents happening on roads. Who should be punished for these accidents? any answers?
Dear RTO officials – any of you reading this?
I promptly went to the RTO office in Tiruvanmiyur and collected both the forms available at reception. RTO Office .. Now, we had to get the medical fitness certificate. Our family doctor’s clinic is close to this office and I was about to head towards the clinic. While I was coming out, noticed a sign board of a red medical cross. When I carefully observed that sign board, it wasn’t a clinic of a doctor. But it had a mention of “medical fitness certificates” service availability. On the outlook, that store had a photocopying machine and a whole bunch of forms that I saw in the RTO reception. That store keeper was selling those *FREE* forms at a *nominal* cost! When I asked him about the fitness certificate he just asked me for a passport sized photograph, name of the applicant and a *FEE* of Rs. 50/-. I was reluctant and asked him the whereabouts of a doctor. He said, you don’t have to panic about all those things, furnish the 3 pre-requisites and he will get it done in less than 5 minutes! We said thanks but denied his *service*. We got the medical fitness certificate from our family doctor. Submitted the application forms along with a renewal fee or Rs 50/- at the RTO cash counter. Then gave the license at the counter for renewal which we had to collect on the next working day.
All that we spent for renewing the driving license was just Rs. 75/- (50 at RTO counter and 25 to the doctor). Now the question on my mind… though these illegal operators are widespread, why is that the RTO officials not taking any action? The worst is that the medical certificate providers are in the same building! Do the RTO officials ever wake up and take stringent action on these people? No wonder we have so many accidents happening on roads. Who should be punished for these accidents? any answers?
Dear RTO officials – any of you reading this?
You are right. Such service providers have the support of all the staff members of the department.
ReplyDeleteLet me narrate my experience. During the last 9 years I happened to serve in 3 states-Karnataka,AP and TN. Each time I had to complete all the onerous formalities connected with the life time tax for my car in each state. While the tax has to be paid by the owner to get the registration of the respective state, the life time tax paid at the previous state is not returned easily unless the people are taken care of. For service people and others who have to be all over India why can,t the authorities think of an All India Permit. While India is one the states are divided. But a tourist operator can get All India Permit not a citizen.Whether the government will wake up?
Rajshekar