Transport Dept withdraws order on refresher course
Parvesh Sharma
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 24
The state Transport Commissioner has withdrawn its approval given to the Haryana Roadways (HR) Driver Training Schools for conducting refresher course for the renewal of Heavy Motor Vehicle (HMV) driving licences.
On October 20, 2015, the Commissioner had written to all general managers of the Haryana Roadways that one-day refresher course certificate issued by these schools would be treated as valid for the renewal of the driving licence. But in the last week of July, the Commissioner issued another letter stating that the earlier letter was inadvertently issued and hence, withdrawn.
“The training schools do not have the required infrastructure, syllabus and arrangements for conducting the course and hence, these schools will not conduct any refresher course,” states the letter.
The Transport Department has directed the aspirants to get the refresher course certificate from its three driver training institutes located in Kaithal, Rohtak and Bahadurgarh as these have the required facilities. Earlier, 18 HR schools were providing the refresher course certificate to the aspirants.
“There are only three government driver training institutes to issue refresher course certificates which is must for the renewal of the HMV licence. The transport authorities should have first opened more such institutes before withdrawing the approval,” said Sumit, an aspirant for the job of a driver in the HR from Kaithal.
When contacted, Transport Commissioner Dr Suprabha Dahiya confirmed that now the refresher courses would only be done at the three institutes of the state government.
“The refresher course must update the candidates with the latest developments and our three institutes have all required facilities,” she added.
The department has signed agreements with private companies to run the three institutes. Rohtak and Bahadurgarh institutes are being run by Maruti, while Kaithal institute is being run by Ashok Leyland. There is a waiting period of 7-8 months in all three institutes for the 45-day mandatory training period for the job of driver in the HR, but there is no waiting period for the refresher course certificate.
Figures show that since 2011, the Bahadurgarh institute has given refresher course training to 61,557 persons, Rohtak to 58,254 and Kaithal to 22,233 persons.
