Adilabad Police Step in to Curb Agent Role in Driving Licences

ADILABAD: In a bid to curb unauthorised driving and reduce reliance on private agents, the Adilabad police have begun facilitating issuance of driving licences through the transport department.

The initiative, led by superintendent of police Akhil Mahajan, enables applicants to obtain licences by following official procedures, avoiding additional costs charged by middlemen.

Police said the move followed repeated instances of youth being caught driving without licences during vehicle checks, with some involved in road accidents and paying penalties. In several cases, absence of valid documents and insurance resulted in no compensation to victims’ families.

Under the process, applicants submit forms online or through Mee Seva and pay the prescribed government fee. Police personnel collect the applications at police stations, coordinate with transport authorities, and facilitate slot bookings for driving tests. Applications are scrutinised and processed for learner’s licences before permanent licences are issued after tests.

So far, the police have facilitated licences for 464 applicants, including those who were earlier found driving without valid permits. Of these, 200 have appeared for driving tests at the Adilabad transport office.

Officials said the initiative has led to increased footfall at the road transport authority office, with many youth applying after becoming aware of the importance of holding a valid licence for safety and legal compliance.

The programme is being implemented across several mandals, including Narnoor, Gadiguda, Bheempur, Utnoor, Indravelli and Bazarhathnoor. It has also coincided with transport vehicle support extended to tribal youth under ITDA, Utnoor.

Police personnel, including constables and home guards, are assisting applicants by coordinating documentation and test schedules with transport officials.

Home guard Hanumandlu Lanka, deployed at the district transport office, scrutinised applications received by the police department and coordinated with transport officials to first obtain learner’s licences and later schedule driving tests for permanent licences under various vehicle categories.

Chouhan Vinayak, a police constable at Bazarhathnoor police station, said he personally submitted 20 applications collected from youth in the mandal this month, and licences had already been issued to nine of them. Vinayak said many Adivasi youth were buying low-priced second-hand vehicles from roadside sellers and riding them despite their poor condition, leading to accidents.

Sidam Devrao, 30, of Ananthapur village in Bazarhathnoor, said private agents charge between ₹8,000 and ₹10,000 for two-wheeler and four-wheeler licences, whereas applicants have to pay the prescribed fee of below ₹800 for a two-wheeler licence with gear. They said the process had also increased awareness about the need for valid licences, helmets and proper vehicle documentation.

Dayakar Erkar of Kandli village in Bazarhathnoor, who applied for a licence, said he drives a tractor on daily wages during the agriculture season and realised the need for a valid licence after police created awareness. He said nobody had asked for his licence while he was operating a tractor in interior areas all these days.

Rajeshwar Are of Degoan village said he paid a ₹700 fine for riding a bike without a driving licence. He later realised the importance of having a licence and applied for one with the help of the police. He said a driving licence gives moral confidence to the rider.