Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said AI-based issuance of driving licences is on the anvil, and the setting up of driving training centers, along with traffic awareness parks for schoolchildren is on the cards.
“We’re not just issuing licences, we are ensuring only trained, eligible drivers get them. Licences are being cancelled in cases of repeated accidents,” he said after laying the foundation stone for a state-of-the-art Automated Testing Station (ATS) at Dandampally in Nalgonda district.
In a major step towards modernising the State’s transport sector and improving road safety, Ministers Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and Ponnam Prabhakar launched the facility, to be constructed at a cost of ₹8 crore, and it will be Telangana’s second ATS.
The event was attended by MLAs Bhattula Lakshma Reddy and Vemula Veeresham, MP Raghuveer Reddy, MLC Shankar Nayak, and District Collector Ila Tripathi.
Mr. Prabhakar said accidents are rising due to poor vehicle fitness, ignorance of road rules, and lack of awareness. These automated stations aim to eliminate human interference and corruption, he said.
He announced that 17 ATSs are being constructed across the State, each at a cost of ₹8 crore. “These stations will carry out brake tests, suspension checks, emission tests, and are completely automated and camera-based, with results uploaded to the VAHAN portal,” he explained.
Mr. Prabhakar also highlighted the new vehicle scrap policy, under which vehicles older than 15 years will be phased out to reduce pollution and enhance road safety. “This policy has already been reflected in the Telangana vehicle register. Now, vehicle fitness, emission, and compliance data will be trackable in real time,” he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Venkat Reddy hailed the initiative as a key move towards road safety and infrastructural development. He said Narketpally, which hosted the first depot during the Nizam era, currently has 60 buses and needs 20 more. He also appealed to Mr. Prabhakar to sanction a new bus depot in Nalgonda.
He also noted that the introduction of free bus travel for women has led to a surge in public transport use. “Since the formation of the Congress government, crores worth of free travel have been availed by women. The government has already infused ₹6,000 crore into the RTC,” he said, lauding the welfare initiatives.