In a welcome move, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued an advisory to the transport authorities of states to accept a citizens Driving License, Registration Certificate or other documents in electronic form using the ‘DigiLocker’ or ‘mParivahan’ platform.
Documents in electronic form presented through these platforms are now deemed as valid under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and state government have been asked to treat them on par with the certificates issued by the transport authorities.
Only documents uploaded and presented through either DigiLocker or mParivahan platforms would be considered valid.
MoRTH issues an advisory to the transport authorities of the states to accept DL, RC or other documents in electronic form presented through 'DigiLocker' or 'mParivahan' platform.@nitin_gadkari @mansukhmandviya @narendramodi @PIB_India @PMOIndia @transform_ind
— MORTHINDIA (@MORTHIndia) August 9, 2018
The mandate came in response to the increasing number of grievances and RTI applications where citizens highlighted the issue “that the documents available in DigiLocker or the mParivahan app are not considered valid by the traffic police or the motor vehicles department when produced,” an official statement suggested.
A report suggested that, “The advisory clarifies that the DigiLocker platform of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the mParivahan mobile app of the Road Transport and Highways Ministry has the facility to pull a citizen’s driving license or the registration certificate or any other certificate in an electronic form.”
Pune’s citizens welcomed this move and unanimously agreed that this, if implemented and accepted would greatly ease the problem of having to carry original documents at all times.
“We often find people not carrying their valid documents with them, mostly vehicle registration papers and PUC document,” says a traffic police near Kothrud Depot.
“Even though the RC also now comes in a card like format, people still forget to carry this. It is difficult to help them in such situations, since we are unable to check ownership of the vehicle when drivers cannot produce the RC and other legit documents.
We have started accepting the digital format of these documents, but in case of doubt and to avoid any forgery (when we suspect some issue) then we tell them to produce the hard copy of the documents.
“All the documents are mandatory for the vehicle owner or driver to carry along with valid driver’s license. Failing to provide all the document often lands them in trouble,” he further adds.
The notification also stated that impounding of documents is to be reflected electronically through ‘eChallan’ system.
“The official declaration has to be made public since many traffic cops do not consider the digital format or even xeroxed copies of the documents as acceptable and fine us for not having the valid documents,” says Raghav Mishra, a regular commuter from Pune to Mumbai.
“It is easy for four-wheelers to carry the documents in the vehicle, but for two-wheeler owners without any attached luggage box, it is often an issue since the documents gets stolen or damaged with rain etc.
“I have faced the problem of getting my duplicate license and documents of the vehicles after my wallet was stolen in Delhi which had all the original documents. This step will definitely help us carry all the documents without worry of misplacing or ruining them,” Mishra adds.
Manohar Lal Das, a local cab driver expresses his concern for the documents being misused of forged.
“In this day and age, everything on the internet is accessible by other hackers and anti-social elements. Although the step to digitalise the documents will bring in ease of use, the safety of the documents maybe at risk.
Unless the government has a fool-proof plan in place and ensure that there are no such chances of duplication or forgery, I don’t think I will use this application,” adds Das.
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#All views are those of the respondents and Pune365 does not necessarily subscribe to them.
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