Govt relaxes experience requirement for driving licence for six months
The government has again relaxed the requirement of experience for getting licences to drive medium and heavy vehicles for six more months.
Last August, the government relaxed the requirement until December 31, 2018. It has been extended until June 30, following “request” of transport workers, officials said.
As per the latest circular, issued on December 26, a person having professional driving licence for light vehicles and one year experience, can drive medium-sized vehicles.
Similarly, a person with driving licence for medium-sized vehicles and one-year experience, can operate heavy vehicles.
Under the current rule, motorists having driver's licence for light vehicle for three years can only apply for licence to drive medium-sized vehicles, and drivers of medium-sized vehicles can apply for heavy vehicle driver's licence.
The government has taken the decision to make up for the shortage of drivers with licences for medium and heavy vehicles, reads the circular.
However, road safety campaigners alleged that the government made the move under pressure from transport workers, while safety experts said the decision will make roads riskier.
Amid outcry for road safety following death of two students in the capital on July 29, law enforcers and BRTA launched a crackdown across the country, where a large number of bus and truck drivers were caught with licences for driving light vehicles. Against this backdrop, transport owners and worker leaders had urged the government to relax the requirements.
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