New rules to put brakes on illegal driving schools in Delhi

NEW DELHI: Delhi govt has released a set of guidelines to regulate the operation of motor driving training schools in the city, under which all such facilities must maintain an electronic register, Aadhaar-based registration of trainees and have adequate provision for conducting lectures and demonstrations. The schools will be listed on the transport department’s website for easy access.
All new and existing training schools need to adhere to the guidelines to obtain or renew their licences.Aadhaar-based registration is one of the key requirements but, in the absence of a valid Aadhaar number, can be done using either the student’s Unique Identification Number (UID) or Enrolment Identification Number (EID).

The driving school must maintain an e-register that records the trainees’ enrolment in the establishment. Also, the information must be updated on the portal in real time, including details about the applicants and learners.
There are about 100 driving schools in the city. In a month, on average, about 40,000 people take tests for driver’s licence in Delhi, out of which 50% do not pass.
“The aim is to ensure only legitimate and authorised training schools are allowed to function within the capital,” a senior Delhi govt official said, adding the fresh guidelines would also ensure that people take training in a skilled environment as road safety is directly linked to driving standards.
All applications for grant or renewal of licence can be made to the licensing authority as per Rule 24-31 of Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, that has jurisdiction in the area where the school or establishment is located. The premises should be either owned by the applicant or taken on lease, and must have provision for conducting lectures and demonstrations, besides adequate parking area for the vehicles meant to be used for imparting instructions in driving.
The applicant should own and maintain a minimum of one motor vehicle of each type in which instruction is imparted in the school or establishment. The schools must have a blackboard, a road plan board with necessary model signals and charts, a traffic signs chart, a chart on automatic signals and signals given by traffic controllers where there are no automatic ones. As per rules, the schools should also maintain a record separately for each trainee showing the number of driving hours spent daily.
The govt official said under the guidelines, the financial resources of the school must be sufficient to provide for maintenance, so the licensing authority will seek a solvency certificate of at least Rs 3 lakh issued by the SDM.