Delayed driving licenses to be issued within next 06 months - DMT

Commissioner General of the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) Nishantha Anuruddha Weerasinghe states that all the driving licenses which could not be printed due to the non-availability of printers would be issued within the next 06 months.

When inquired by Ada Derana, the Commissioner General mentioned that around such 900,000 driving licenses are to go into print.

He added that three printers were received by the department on Monday, paving the way to make arrangements to recommence driving licenses printing this week.

“The problem concerning the issuance of driving licenses lied not with the shortage of cards. Although we could not import the cards due to the inability to open the LCs (Letters of Credit) as a result of the economic crisis, we later managed to import them”, Weerasinghe said further.

“But we also had a problem with the printing machines. It was only last Monday that we received the required machines. Therefore, we will recommence the printing activities this week. I hope to complete printing these [driving licences] within 06 months”.

The DMT chief also mentioned that the department has received a complaint regarding a racket charging Rs. 5,000 to issue driving licenses unlawfully. He said that the department’s investigation unit has been instructed to immediately look into the matter.