Unauthorised pvt driving training schools have a free run in Amritsar

Neeraj Bagga

Amritsar, February 20

There has been a mushrooming of unauthorised private operators who give driving lessons on the busiest roads in Amritsar. Yet only six driving training centres are registered with the Regional Transport Office (RTO) here.

Notably, all of them function without any supervision of government authorities. In the absence of a motor driving training centre, these private instructors impart driving lessons on public roads.

A resident Surinderjit Singh said that unscientific imparting of training to new learners as a major reason for rising road accidents is a fact that has been considered lately by the government. It was on June 7, 2021 that the Union government modified the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act (2019), Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989 vide notification number 394(E) to make driving training scientific and systematic through accredited centres which are yet to be set up and operated by private companies. “In this scenario, the aspiring learners are helpless and enlist themselves with unauthorised centres,” he said.

Malkiat Singh, who met with a road accident due to a rashly driven car some years back, demanded thorough training for persons before being allowed to drive on main roads. He expressed his displeasure that cars used to impart driving lessons are plied on main roads along with regular vehicles. He added that it seriously jeopardised the safety of commuters. The practice can be observed on busy roads like Ranjit Avenue, GT road, bypass roads and colonies located along them, he said

A majority of these unauthorised driving centres do not have simulators to give beginners a proper initiation. Yet they draw a good number of customers as they charge about Rs 1,500 for a 14-day course while authorised training centres charge about Rs 5,000 for the same duration course.