Baramulla, July 17: In a departure from the conventional way of issuing licenses, authorities in the Transport Department in north Kashmir’s Baramulla have, for a change, shifted the test location to actual roads to make them more practical and effective.
“One has to ultimately drive on the roads. The conventional way of testing is also good, but we have to evolve and grow to the situation,” Assistant Regional Transport Officer, Baramulla, Mubashir Ahmad said at the conclusion of the five-day driving test campaign in Baramulla.
The tests were conducted at seven locations across the north Kashmir district from July 12 to July 16 and were held for the learners’ as well as for the regular driving license aspirants.
Besides the driving license test, the aim of the event was to educate the masses about non-motorised transport like cycling and walking. The driving test campaign has evoked huge enthusiasm among the locals.
Ahmad said the roads were the “natural institute of driving and realistic rather than being hypothetical”, the reason they had chosen roads for the driving tests.
He further said the drive had been initiated on the directions of Transport Secretary, Hirdesh Kumar, Transport Commissioner and DC Baramulla under the Central Motor Vehicle Rule (CMVR) 1989.
As per CMVR 1989, around 24 parameters of the driving license aspirants are to be checked which include pre-driving, pedestrian moment, uphill downhill test, how to drive while facing curves etc.
“I think this is improving the image of our department, ” Ahmad said about the practical driving tests.
The ARTO Baramulla conducted the on-road test for the aspirants and for that both hilly as well as plain areas were selected for the tests.
“The basic motive of the on road test drive is to look into the alertness of the driver. The aim is to ensure that the driver is always alert while driving and has know how of some basics of the vehicle. Besides, it determines drivers’ capability to control a vehicle during uphill downhill drive,” said Ahmad.
“The awareness of non motorised transport especially in the tourist places can revolutionise the concept of tourism especially in the rural areas which has a potential for trekking and other adventure tourism,” said the ARTO Sopore.