The Punjab government would soon set up an Institute for Driving training and Research and Skill development Center at Kapurthala for imparting training to the heavy vehicle drivers at a cost of Rs.17 crore.This was disclosed during a presentation made by the Principal Secretary Transport Mr. Anurag Aggarwal during a meeting presided over by the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal to review the functioning of transport department here at Chief Minister’s Residence on Saturday evening. During the meeting, Mr. Aggarwal informed the Chief Minister that another State Institute of Automotive & Driving Skills at Mahuana in district Muktsar was already functioning and two more centers for heavy vehicles viz Regional Driving Training Centre, Malerkotla and Heavy Vehicle Driving Testing Track, Gurdaspur would soon made operational besides an Authorized Testing Station at Kapurthala for the inspection of the vehicles. The State Transport Department has already entered in an agreement with Mercedes (M/S Dialmer India) to offer different skill development training programs for Automotive Service Technician, Automotive Body Technician and Automotive Electrician. The upcoming complex of this institute would comprise of six classrooms and auditorium, committee room, canteen and library besides hostel for 75 trainees.
The upcoming driving training center would be set up in Malerkotla to be partially funded by Government of India up to Rs.5 crore. The construction work of the track would be executed by PWD and the same track would be used for conducting driving tests of commercial vehicles. This would also have in-house facilities for skill development. In another landmark decision, the department has embarked upon to set up an authorized testing station to be located in Kapurthala at a cost of Rs.14.40 crore for the inspection of vehicles in a scientific manner. The work has already been allotted to Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT) with the capacity to handle 20,000 Light Motor Vehicles (LMV) and 13,000 Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMV). In order to issue driving licenses for the light vehicles (non-commercial) in a hassle free manner, the state transport department has set up 32 Automated Driving Test Tracks in all 22 Districts besides one additional center in Ludhiana and nine Major Sub Divisional offices at Batala, Jagraon, Khanna, Dasua, Phillaur, Pattra, Phagwara, Malerkotla and Abohar. The department has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Maruti Udyog Ltd. for opening training centers to impart driving skills to the people for light vehicles.
Mr. Aggarwal also informed that work for the computerization of Check posts was going on in full swing. To provide the comfortable travelling facilities, a fleet of 400 new buses of PRTC and 510 of PUNBUS and Punjab Roadways were being added in phased manner and all these new buses would be made operational within next six months. The Chief Minister also gave in-principle approval for two posts of DTOs, 23 of ADTOs, 10 of Motor Vehicle Inspector (MVI) and 112 of Clerks to cope up with the scarcity of manpower to ensure smooth functioning of these 32 centers. The Chief Minister also asked the Principal Secretary Transport to revive the body building facility in the workshop of PRTC at Patiala which has been now closed down due to the shortage of funds. He also asked the Principal Secretary Transport to create a separate cadre of DTOs and ADTOs to be posted in the 32 Automated Driving Test Tracks (ADTT) with technical qualifications of Degree/Diploma in Automobile or Mechanical Engineering in order to infuse scientific temper in the functioning of these centers. He also asked the Chief Secretary to finalize the minimum qualification requirements before advertising these posts in the offices committee headed by him.
Highly appreciating the initiatives taken by the transport department to make the procedure of issuing driving licenses in a transparent manner besides introducing Dealer Point Registration System, Online Payment and Computerization of Check Posts, the Chief Minister said that these bold initiatives would certainly boost the confidence of people in the transport system, which once was blamed for rampant corruption and undue harassment. The Chief Minister also complimented the department for making a net profit of Rs. 231 crore during the last fiscal, as its revenue has gone up to Rs.1376 crore during 2014-15 from Rs.1145 crore during 2013-14.Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included Transport Minister Mr. Ajit Singh Kohar, Chief Secretary Mr. Sarvesh Kaushal, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. S.K. Sandhu, Principal Secretary Transport Mr. Anurag Aggarwal, Secretary Expenditure Mr. Jaspal Singh and Additional State Transport Commissioner Mr. Harmail Singh Sra.