Driving schools fight with Kerala Motor Vehicle Department

Kochi: Hundreds of candidates who arrived for driving test at Aluva could not attend the same after a spat broke out between the MVD officials and driving school owners over the "sudden" change of driving test venue. For a over a decade the Motor Vehicle Department has been conducting the driving test at the Aluva Paravur Kavala ground. However, MVD changed the venue to a ground in Edathala, nearly 8 km away from the town.

"The new venue is far away from the town and also there is no facility to park vehicles or basic necessities like toilets and waiting sheds. The decision was taken in haste without seeking the opinion of driving schools or other affected parties," Anwar Sadath, MLA, said.

He threatened to launch a sit-in stir if the MVD does change the decision taken two days back. "They were conducting the fitness test of heavy vehicles at Edathala ground. It's for their convenience that the driving test too was changed to the ground at a remote location," he said.

The local MLA also wrote a letter to the transport minister on the issue. Earlier, the driving schools boycotted the driving tests enmasse as a mark of protest.
Meanwhile, a senior MVD official said the test venue was changed due to protest by the residents association at Paravur Kavala. "They say the training given by the driving schools at the city centre is risky.  We'll develop permanent facilities at Edathala ground including parking facility," he said.