Deputy Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku says plans are underway to introduce an online system to issue medical certificates for individuals arriving to obtain a driver’s licence.
The Deputy Minister said that the decision has been taken as numerous irregularities have been reported at the Transport Medical Institute located in Nugegoda, which issues printed medical certificates for individuals arriving to obtain a driver’s licence.
Deputy Minister Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku said that it has been confirmed that this method has led to numerous irregularities and that immediate steps will be taken to minimize such issues going forward.
Currently, the National Transport Medical Institute in Nugegoda issues printed medical certificates to individuals applying for a driver’s license. It has been revealed that this process lacks transparency and has resulted in irregularities, he said.
Deputy Minister Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku said that as a result, a decision has been made to adopt an online system to reduce such issues.
“When a driver’s license expires, people have to come to Werahera to renew it. This causes significant inconvenience. The only reason they must come in person is to provide fingerprints. Within the next month or so, we hope to change this system as well, so that renewing a driver’s license can be done easily without having to visit Werahera. The groundwork for this new process has already begun,” the Deputy Minister said.
He expressed these views during an inspection tour yesterday (25) of the Werahera branch of the Department of Motor Traffic, which operates under the Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation. Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne also participated in this inspection tour. (Newswire/ Image – Dinamina)