aadhaar card

Regional Transport Office

Ahmedabad

Sarathi

On certain occasions, if the applicant is not carrying any other residential proof, we accept aadhaar cards. We have asked authorities to allow us to accept it as primary proof SP Muniya, RTO Ahmedabad

There is lack of coordination among central and state departments . A few accept certain documents while others don’t. RTO should accept govt-recognised documents Dr Dilip Gadhvi, gynaecologist

If they accept aadhaar card as residential proof online, applicant will obviously take same proof to RTO. They should accept it as aadhaar card is accepted everywhere else Govind Rawat, 19-year-old applicant

Thewas introduced in the country as a universal identification document, one that would be valid at all government offices. But theindoes not seem to find the 16-digit number on the card sufficient for getting a driving licence.Licence applicants were in for a shock when they were told that their aadhaar card would not be acceptable as address proof and that they would have to get another ‘valid’ document. While some who had another document handy managed to proceed with the work, others had to return home disappointed.As part of the procedure, applicants have to upload their documents online on ‘vahan’, the website of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Following this, they have to go to the RTO to furnish hard copies of the documents and take the test.The website, operated nationally for all states, gives them the option of uploading their aadhaar card details as valid address proof. However, several applicants got a rude shock when the officials at the RTO refused to accept a copy of their aadhaar card when they went there after taking an appointment.Mann Raval (18) had visited RTO Ahmedabad to get a learner’s licence. He told Mirror, “The website offered me an option to submit my aadhaar card as address proof, after which I was allotted a slot. However, when I reached the RTO, the officials did not accept the aadhaar card saying they have not been issued any notification to accept it as address proof.” He was among the unlucky ones who did not have any other document and had to return home to book another slot.Dr Dilip Gadhvi, a gynaecologist, faced similar dilemma when he visited the RTO to get a learner’s licence for his daughter Pooja. “The RTO should accept government-recognised documents.Else, it becomes harassment for applicants. There is lack of coordination among the central and state departments. A few departments accept certain documents while others don’t.”Govind Rawat (19), who visited the RTO last week for learner’s licence, said, “If they accept aadhaar card as residential proof online, the applicant would obviously take the same document to the RTO. The officials should accept it since everyone now has an aadhaar card and it is accepted elsewhere too.”‘Aadhaar an additional proof’ S P Muniya, RTO-Ahmedabad, asserted that his staff tries to ease the process to the maximum possible extent. “We do accept aadhaar card, but only as an additional proof. On certain occasions, if the applicant is not carrying any other residential proof, we accept aadhaar cards. We have proposed to higher authorities to allow us to accept it as the primary address proof,” he said, adding that the currently accepted documents include electricity and property tax bills and voter identity card.