It may sound unreal but these villagers travel 80 kilometres just to get their driving licences.
Thousands of aspiring drivers and vehicle-owners from far-flung villages bordering Andhra Pradesh, stretching from Pallippattu near Tiruttani to Arambakkam near Gummidipoondi, grumble about having to endure a distance of 50 to 80 kms, to get a driving licence at RTOs located in distant Tiruvallur and Redhills.
“We have to travel over 80 kms to reach the RTO in district headquarters Tiruvallur. Do the authorities think it is easy for us to travel this far to reach the RTO?” quips Pattabiraman from Pallippattu. Besides Pallippattu, residents of nearby villages including Veliagaram, Kolathur, Venkatarajakuppam and Melapudi have been facing this ordeal to get driving licenses and pay vehicle taxes.
Mr. Raman adds that many villagers have even met with accidents while travelling on the busy Chennai-Tirupathi national highway to reach the RTO office in Tiruvallur since they have to appear for tests in their own vehicles.
Similarly, residents of villages bordering Andhra Pradesh on Tada route (Chennai-Kolkata route) including Arambakkam and Madhrapakkam, have to make long trips to reach the RTO at Redhills.
“An RTO or unit office should be set up either at Gummidipoondi or Ponneri that are also taluk headquarters,” says Arumugam of Arambakkam.