Grace period to renew DL may be extended

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 26

Residents will no more have to face penalty if they fail to renew driving licence (DL) within one month as the Registration and the Licensing Authority (RLA) started the process of implementing the new provisions made in the Motor Vehicles Act amended by the Government of the India on August 7, 2019.

Senior officials of the administration today discussed the new Act at the high-level meeting convened by the Ministry of Road Transport in Delhi.

In the meeting, the UT officials promised to implement all provisions of the Act once notified by the Ministry from September 1, 2019. The new Act has the provision for extending the grace period for renewal of driving licence from one month to one year.

Currently, people who fail to renew their licence on time have to pay Rs 1,100 for one month of delay.

Ajay Kumar Singla, secretary, transport, said the provisions of the Act would be implemented once the administration received a notified copy of the Act from the Centre. The Ministry officials said the notification process was likely to be completed before the end of the month.

Besides enhancing the penalty for various traffic violations, the new Act also has many provisions for accident victims. According to the Act, the government will develop a scheme for cashless treatment of road accident victims during golden hour. Other provisions include compulsory insurance cover to all road users in India, fund for treatment of persons injured in road accidents and compensation to people grievously hurt in hit-and-run accidents.

The Act will also have the provision to protect a good samaritan who renders emergency medical or non-medical assistance to the victim at the scene of an accident. The Act also allows the government to order for recall of motor vehicles if a defect in the vehicle causes damage to driver or other road users.

Provisions

• Currently, people who fail to renew their licence on time have to pay Rs 1,100 for one month of delay.
• If implemented, the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, will the provision for extending the grace period for renewal of driving licence from one month to one year.  
• According to the Act, the government will develop a scheme for cashless treatment of road accident victims during golden hour. 
• Other provisions include compulsory insurance cover to all road users in India, fund for treatment of persons injured in road accidents and compensation to people grievously hurt in hit-and-run accidents.