Bengaluru: An audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has exposed how Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) across Karnataka routinely issued driving licences far beyond their prescribed daily testing capacity, raising serious concerns over the integrity of the system.The report revealed that even RTOs equipped with automated driving testing tracks (ADTTs), which are designed to ensure standardised and objective evaluation, have a maximum capacity of conducting 200 driving tests per day. However, several centres were found to have conducted between 252 and 495 tests in a single day, clearly exceeding the operational limits.The Electronics City RTO emerged as a stark example, having conducted more than 200 tests on 109 separate days, suggesting that licences may have been granted without adequate scrutiny of applicants’ driving skills.The situation is even more troubling in the majority of RTOs that lack automated systems. With only 12 centres equipped with ADTTs, 55 RTOs continue to rely on manual testing, where the audit found widespread irregularities. In many cases, multiple applicants were tested simultaneously under minimal supervision.Even at automated tracks, the audit flagged lapses. Despite the use of sensors and cameras, multiple candidates were assessed at once, increasing the likelihood of errors and diluting the effectiveness of technology-driven testing.Dispatch of 71% smart cards pendingThe audit also flagged delays in dispatch of smart cards despite fees being collected. At the time of the audit, RTOs were charging Rs 212 for a card along with Rs 50 for postal delivery. Analysis of Vahan MIS data revealed that between May 24, 2022, and March 31, 2024, out of 12.3 lakh smart card applications across nine RTOs, 11.6 lakh (94%) were approved, but the dispatch status of 8.2 lakh cards (71%) remained pending despite collection of postal charges.Between Nov 2021 and May 2022, Rs 7.1 crore was collected for 3.6 lakh vehicles, but no smart cards were issued. Instead, RTOs issued laminated cards without chips, in violation of rules, the report found.
