The Tiruchi West Regional Transport Office (RTO) at Pirattiyur in the city would soon become a smart office with a major refurbishment project under way currently.
The pilot project at the office, one of the major RTOs in the Tiruchi zone, is being implemented at a cost of ₹87 lakh.
Once completed, the RTO would get a smart queue/visitor management system, under which access will be controlled only for applicants seeking services at the office. The fully air conditioned office will get modernised counters, waiting areas, and associated amenities for visitors. The system is expected to significantly improve service delivery, ease the process for the applicants, and reduce their waiting time.
According to Transport Department sources, the project is being executed after studying such systems introduced in a few States such as Gujarat.
“Once the applicants pay the fee for a service sought, a QR code would be generated for the individual and only upon scanning it through an electronic system that the person can enter the office. Once admitted, they will be guided to the appropriate counter/s in step-by-step process,” P. Muruganandam, Regional Transport Office (in-charge), Tiruchi West, told The Hindu.
Official sources indicated that modifications would be carried out on the Automated Driving Testing Track (ADTT), which was widely viewed to be “narrow” resulting in a high rate of failures, at the RTO within a month.
The ADTT was commissioned at the RTO on June 8 under another pilot project implemented by the government in association with Maruti Suzuki India.
The ADTTs are equipped with high-definition cameras, RFID sensors, real-time analytics, and an integrated IT system to enable a technology-enabled, standardised and objective driving licence testing process. With zero human intervention, the ADTTs are aimed at making the test more comprehensive, efficient, and transparent. The rigorous and standardised evaluation process is designed to assess candidates according to the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR). Test results are generated automatically.
Officials said the track tested the skills of applicants on various aspects of driving, including city driving, reversing, parking on narrow streets, and hill driving.
However, amidst complaints of poor pass rate at the automated driving test, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, recently granted an interim stay on automated H-track driving tests across 10 RTOs in the State.
According to sources, 36 out of 54 candidates had failed the test at the Tiruchi West RTO between June 8 and 31. These were applicants seeking light motor vehicle driving licence. There were 19 failures among the 197 candidates who took the test on the track for getting two-wheeler driving licence during the same period.
“The testing track is narrow and only people using small cars are able to clear the test; the track is not suitable for vehicles with a large wheel base. Hence, the track should be widened and the duration for completing the test should be increased,” said S. Poongodi, proprietor, Abirami Driving School in Tiruchi. She observed that candidates required longer hours of training to take the test on the automated track.
Published - July 13, 2026 09:35 pm IST