COMMENTS

I got my DL about three years ago without any help from these touts. I took my driving test on the test track on tumkur road and failed the test. Passed the test next time I took it. There is absolutely no need to go to any tout unless you want to get a license without knowing how to ride/drive sensibly. 

Most of the driving schools are an apology for a driving school. The driving schools also "help" you get the license. 

The more I think about it the more I get convinced that it is not the system it is us who are corrupt and want an easy way out in everything.

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Touts abound at every RTO, despite notices that clearly ask people not to use them. How come they are still around then ? Because many people still use them! There isn't any other satisfactory explanation to this. If one visits an RTO in a car, touts swoop down on him & this is proof that most customers for touts are the well off car owners.

When I had changed address for my vehicle regns & DLs from Koramangala back to Indiranagar some six years ago, it had been done quite easily without "assistance" from any tout. Thus, the system does work if one accepts laid down procedures instead of criticizing or laying too much emphasis on the quality of work or govt offices.

I agree with what what Srinivas says above - "it is not the system it is us who are corrupt and want an easy way out in everything". We do not want to be clean & when some documents cannot be produced for whatever reasons, we try to circumvent rules & laws & are ready to engage touts or pay bribes to get these kind of jobs done.

Some people are impatient to the point that they feel too strongly about normal procedural delays & justify appointing touts even if all their papers are in order, claiming that it's a headache to get a job done in govt offices.

All of the general public suffer as a result.

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I have visited KR Puram RTO a few times (changes to DL, address, then smart card format). Same story - touts around, but if you read all information carefully and use the help desk (and can manage some kannada, helps) available, don't have to pay anything extra.

However, here is an interesting incident that happened when I was there few years ago to get address change on DL:

• Tout overheard my question at the help desk, and came up with this pitch, "saar - they will keep the license, you will have nothing for a month, problem if cops stop you for checking."
• Help desk person didn't reply, though he did hear the tout's pitch
• While I walked towards cabin of the RTO officer (forget the name and exact title now), tout made his offer "DL in 1 day, Rs 2000!"
• I asked the RTO comsnr about it. And he said nothing like that, you get a receipt that would fill in as a temp DL till you get the updated DL back.

Now the climax.

• While the RTO Cmsnr was explaining the paperwork requirements, the same tout walked in to the cabin, almost casually, as if this was his place. He picked some files from a drawer, left a few back, and casually walked out.
• I asked RTO Cmsnr about touts in general, and he said, "see, you can get your work done in 30 Rs, or 2000 Rs. All information is here, we are here to help. But if people still want to work with the touts, what can we do?"

Obviously, I didn't ask him about the casualness with which that particular tout and few others (who knows who is an employee, who is not, they don't wear any ID badges) kept walking in and out of his office. And also not about possible arrangements with the tout.

This was 3 years ago. When I was there 2 months back, office seemed better, seemed like there were lot less touts roaming around.

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Still remember the time I went to Jayanagar RTO to get the first 2-wheeler (gearless) license a while ago (late 90s) - took at least 6 trips (6-8 don't remember exact number) on bicycle no less! But gave no bribe and used no touts.

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I called up the SIAA - but it seemed like it was not worth joining them simply to get a license as it seemed like I would have to go with them to the RTO in any case. So I went the Yeswantput RTO in January - and after some running around finally submitted my license for renewal. In return I was given a piece of paper ( which was in fact some recycled piece of paper with something printed on the back ) with a Kannada stamp on which they had handwritten my old license number. I was told to come back after 45 days since it was a change of state.

Two months have gone by and earlier this week I went again. After politely waiting for the officials to turn up I was told by the guy to come back in the afternoon - after 1:30 or 2:30 - at which point the official would check my file.

So I dont know - so far I have not paid a bribe or any extra money and I still hope to get my license without paying it. But I am reaching the limit of my patience as I have been there already about 5 times and as of now I still dont know if I will get it. I can now completely understand why someone would pay a tout to get the license in one day or so.

Ramesh

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