Refresher course for heavy vehicle driving licence irks applicants

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Tribune News Service

Malout, July 3

Applicants are a disturbed lot as the decision taken by the previous SAD-BJP government in 2014 that those seeking a fresh or renewal of driving licence for heavy transport vehicles (HTV) in the state will have to attend a two-day refresher course at the State Institute of Automotive and Driving Skills (SIADS) at Mahuana village in Lambi Assembly segment.

Some of them have even approached Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, saying that the centre was not centrally located, proving a difficult task for them to travel such a long distance.

“The centre must be located on a centrally located place in the state, where people from across the state can come easily. Lambi is located far away from Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Mohali and many other districts. The decision needs to be reviewed immediately,” said a driving licence applicant.

Notably, the refresher course on road safety from this institute is mandatory to get the heavy transport vehicle driving licence in the state. The institute charges Rs 430 as fee for it.

An applicant, Karan Rajput, recently tweeted to the CM, “The heavy transport vehicle driving licence applicants have to go to Mahuana village in Muktsar. People have to face many difficulties reaching there, thus the centre must be opened in Mohali or Chandigarh. The applicants are facing a harrowing time.”

PR Anand, principal, SIADS, Mahuana, said, “We have huge infrastructure to give training to the driving licence applicants here and charge Rs 430 for the two-day course on road safety. This is mandatory to get the driving licence for heavy transport vehicles. Those applying for the licence can learn driving from any private institute as well, but they will have to attend the two-day course here as it was made mandatory by the state government acting on the Supreme Court ruling.”

Notably, the state-of-the-art SIADS was established in 2009-10 as a joint venture of the state government and Tata Motors on the Malout-Delhi national highway at Mahuana village.