Pimpri: The vehicle driving test conducted by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Regional Transport Office (RTO) at Kasarwadi faces significant challenges due to limited infrastructure.

Currently, only a single track is available for testing two-wheelers, which is proving insufficient as the number of applicants steadily rises.

This has led to increased wait times and delays, prompting calls for an additional track to streamline testing. However, the RTO has confirmed that, for the time being, applicants will need to take the test on the existing track.

For applicants transitioning from a learner's permit to a permanent license, the test is conducted at the Institute of Driving Training and Research (IDTR), a government-run facility in Kasarwadi.

Here, applicants undergo multiple stages of tests for both two-wheelers and four-wheelers before being issued their licenses.

Due to the increasing number of applicants from Pimpri-Chinchwad and surrounding rural areas, including Ambegaon and Junnar, the limited testing infrastructure at IDTR has been unable to meet demand.

The existing constraints mean that applicants often face delays of up to two to two-and-a-half hours for testing. Applicants who require both two-wheeler and four-wheeler tests report spending almost the entire day at the facility, raising concerns and calls for more efficient testing processes.

In addition to the long wait times, several applicants have reported that IDTR charges extra fees via local driving schools and fails to provide adequate facilities, despite collecting a ₹100 fee from each applicant. Following these complaints, senior RTO officials conducted an on-site inspection at Kasarwadi to assess the situation.

However, as of now, no additional track is being added. Sandesh Chavan, the Regional Transport Officer of Pimpri-Chinchwad, clarified, “Currently, no new track is being added. Daily testing is conducted, and any issues are addressed as they arise. For now, testing will proceed on the existing track.”

The lack of an additional track at the Pimpri-Chinchwad RTO thus means that applicants will have to continue to endure extended wait times for the foreseeable future.