Pune: Getting a driving test appointment at the city RTO has become a frustrating exercise, with daily slots filling up within minutes and applicants left waiting weeks for a chance to secure their licences.Bavdhan resident Saurabh Singh, whose driving lessons ended on Oct 3, has been trying to book a test through his driving school ever since, without success. “Representatives of the school have been trying every day, but slots are unavailable. I have a brand-new car at home that I want to drive, but the delay is frustrating. I am also worried that I may forget some of the skills I learnt during training,” the working professional said.A senior office-bearer of Jadhav Motor Training School, which operates several branches across Pune, said the situation has left driving schools struggling to secure appointments for their students. “Earlier, slots opened at 6 am, but now they open at 8 am and are filled within 15 to 20 minutes. Applicants seeking licences for both two-wheelers and four-wheelers face particular difficulties. Slots are also released daily instead of being made available for an entire month, as was the practice earlier,” she said.The available appointments are for mid-Nov or early Dec, she added, leaving applicants, including those who need driving licences before moving abroad, in a fix.Vimannagar resident Shobhit Surana, who completed his driving lessons in the last week of Sept, said even approaching RTO officials has yielded no clarity. “I visited the office, but was only told that slots were limited. I am leaving for a five-month work assignment in Dubai after Diwali and am worried about getting my licence in time. Instead of spending quality time with my family during the festive season, I am caught up in this uncertainty,” he said.The Pune RTO currently has 728 daily appointments for driving tests across two-wheelers, four-wheelers, and autorickshaws. Two-wheeler and autorickshaw tests are conducted at the RTO office on Alandi Road, while four-wheeler tests take place at the Institute of Driving Training and Research (IDTR) in Bhosari.Kondhwa resident Asleen Azad Sheikh, who is struggling to book his final test for an autorickshaw licence, suspected that unauthorised agents were cornering the available slots. “Why should applicants wait more than a month just to take a driving test? Even after passing, getting the licence can take another 10 days. The authorities need to address this urgently,” he said.Pune deputy RTO Swapnil Bhosle acknowledged the shortage, attributing it to recent transport department directives limiting each inspector to 60 tests a day and requiring tests to be conducted under CCTV surveillance. These measures, he said, have reduced daily appointments from the earlier 800–900 capacity. He added that there is no cap on the number of applicants taking learner licence tests, contributing to the pressure in a city that ranks among Maharashtra’s highest in vehicle registrations.To ease the backlog, the RTO has approached Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) to use its automated driving test track in Bhosari, which remains largely vacant outside the corporation’s driver-training requirements. “Talks are in the final stages. We hope to lease the facility, similar to the IDTR arrangement, and start using it this month. This will add 300 to 400 appointments daily and help clear the backlog,” Bhosle said.
