New Delhi: Almost every third driving licence in India could be ‘bogus’; more than 50 million people are driving on roads with fake documents, according to official data.
However, those found to be driving with fake licences may soon be jailed for up to a year in addition to being subject to a hefty penalty of Rs10,000 (Dh547) — up from the current penalty of Rs500 and a maximum jail term of three months.
In the case of juvenile drivers, the owner of the vehicle or the driver’s guardian will face stricter penalties of up to three years in jail and fine of up to Rs20,000, and their vehicle registration certificate may also be cancelled.
“In India, 30 per cent of the licences are bogus. We need to check it. We are going to start an online system where computerised tests will be conducted to obtain driving licences. Every one — whether a politician, an official or a celebrity — will have to take the test to get the licence. There will be complete transparency,” Indian Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said.
An official said the Ministry has collated data of about 180 million licences and an estimated 54 million of them fall under the “bogus” category.
An earlier government survey of about 60 million driving licences had found nearly 7.4 million fake ones.
Terming the Road Transport and Safety Bill key to make Indian roads safer, Gadkari said an estimated 150,000 people die every year in the country in road accidents and the proposed law will overhaul the entire system including the issuance of licences.
“We are hopeful that the bill would get passed in the next session of Parliament with states on board now on this matter as the subject falls in the concurrent list,” he said.
