Ludhiana: Server glitch brings driving tests to a halt
Regional Transport Office (RTO) officials said the issue stems from a server linked to the Sarathi portal, which is used by the state government for processing driving licences
No driving tests have been conducted in the district since March 17 after a statewide server glitch brought the system to a standstill, officials aware of the matter said. They said a centralised system that handles assessment encountered a glitch which is yet to be rectified.
The district was struggling as it is as the test centre near Rose Graden, one of the two such facilities, has not been conducting driving tests since December due to a staff crunch. The centre on Sector 32 was handling double the pressure in the time.
Regional Transport Office (RTO) officials said the issue stems from a server linked to the Sarathi portal, which is used by the state government for processing driving licences.
Deputy state transport commissioner Manjeet Singh said the issue started during a server upgrade and they were working to restore it. He said the affected applicants will be accommodated soon even though he failed to give out a timeline for the work.
The officials said that under the automated driving test system, applicants’ driving skills are assessed based on real-time data from sensors and cameras and the centralised system decides if they pass or fail.
“The server has been down since 4.30 pm on Monday. There is no clarity from higher ups on when it will be restored,” said a transport official, requesting not to be named.
The disruption has caused inconvenience to applicants, many of whom had to return without taking the tests.
“I took a day off from work to appear for the driving test. First, I was told that my test would be at the Rose Garden centre. Then I was directed to the Sector 32 centre and after waiting for hours, I was informed that it could not be conducted due to a server issue,” said Jaspreet Kaur, a resident of Gill village.
Echoing the frustration, MK Ansari, who works at a private firm in Basti Jodhewal, said, “I lost a day’s wage to come for the test. Now, I will have to reschedule, wasting another working day.”
