Delhi government plans to introduce digital driving licenses, vehicle RCs
The Delhi government is mulling a transition from physical to digital formats for driving licenses (DLs) and vehicle registration certificates (RCs). The move would make the verification process easier and cut down on delays in issuing the important documents. At present, both DLs and RCs are issued in physical form. The proposed electronic versions would be akin to Aadhaar cards, storable on different smartphone apps for easy access.
Self-registration by dealers and issuance concerns
In March 2021, Delhi launched a self-registration system for vehicles, allowing 263 dealers to issue RCs directly at the point of sale. Despite this reform, there have been concerns over delays in issuing these documents. In the last three years, over 15 lakh RCs have been issued across Delhi with over 2.34 lakh RCs issued in the first half of this year alone.
Transport Minister proposes digital DLs, RCs
Delhi's Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot recently held a meeting with officials from the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). The meeting was aimed at making the process of issuing DLs and RCs more efficient. Gahlot proposed moving to digital DLs and RCs to avoid delays in physical printing. He also warned dealers of penalties for missing issuance deadlines.
Digital DLs, RCs to be available online
The proposed digital DLs and RCs will be available online in PDF format. Vehicle owners can download and print these documents through their smartphones. They can also upload these documents on apps like DigiLocker or mParivahan for easy access during verifications by Delhi Traffic Police. Each digital document will have a unique ID and a QR code to facilitate this.
