KSRTC directed to set up driving schools across State

March 12, 2024 08:51 pm | Updated 08:51 pm IST - THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

Hardly a week after the Motor Vehicles Department’s (MVD) attempt to restrict the number of driving tests a day to 50 was scuttled by driving test aspirants and driving schools across the State, the Transport department has decided to rope in the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) to set up light motor vehicle (LMV) driving training centres across the State to train driving test aspirants by trained instructors at the public utility.

The project envisages providing quality driving tests and training to aspirants with national and international standards at affordable rates. The testing ground and other ancillary facilities would also be provided by the State public utility, as it has enough land in all the districts across the State. The candidates would also be given more time and precise training through this project, along with introducing a new road culture through efficient and quality training, said the office of Transport Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar.

KSRTC Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) has been directed to submit a report after holding an urgent detailed technical examination for starting driving schools under the KSRTC so as to complete the training at a much lower cost than the present driving rates charged by the private sector players. KSRTC will also consider imparting additional training to its drivers in the driving schools to be opened in the public sector with all the state-of-the-art facilities.

The first driving school-cum-driving track for the test under the State public utility is expected to come at Enchakkal in Thiruvananthapuram. There are over 6,000 driving schools in the State and the entry of the public sector KSRTC is expected to end the private sector monopoly in this sector. The State has already decided to shift to a new model of driving ground test in the LMV category from May 1 by introducing angular parking, parallel parking, zig-zag driving, and gradient test, which should be conducted on separate tracks.

This has also necessitated new facilities and more space at driving test venues. Though driving tests are being held at around 86 venues across the State, hardly six come under the MVD, and the rest are managed by private players by sharing the rent for the private ground required for the driving tests. The driving schools have also communicated to the Transport Commissioner that they are not in a position to shell out extra from their pockets for setting up tracks for the new mode of ground test.

Against this backdrop, the Transport department decided to bring in the State-run KSRTC for this purpose. The project would also be a blessing in disguise for the crisis-ridden KSRTC, as it has been looking for ways to increase its non-fare revenue.