Irked by the driving-test reforms, members of the All Kerala Driving School Workers Union, affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), took out a protest march and held a dharna in front of the Secretariat here on Wednesday, demanding the rollback of the new system.
K.K. Divakaran, president of the Driving School Workers Union, told media persons that the strike would be organised in three phases. The members would take out a march to the residence of Transport Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar on April 3, and the third phase of the strike would involve blocking the Minister on the road.
No talks yet
The new reforms envisaged by the Motor Vehicles department (MVD) would facilitate the entry of corporates into the sector, affecting the lives of 50,000 people who made a living through this, the workers’ union leaders said. Despite the grievances raised by the members of the union, the Transport Minister was yet to hold talks with the parties affected, they said. The members also demanded the intervention of the ruling dispensation to “rein in” the Minister.
The MVD in a recent circular, revamped the driving test format by introducing angular parking, parallel parking, zig-zag driving, and gradient test, which shall be conducted on separate tracks, as part of the ground test. The number of applicants taking the driving test with a Motor Vehicle Inspector (MVI) and an AMVI was restricted to 30 a day. However, the department has put on hold the decision to limit the number of tests per day following strong protests from driving test aspirants and driving schools.
Circular not withdrawn
The union leaders had approached the Chief Minister, demanding the rollback of the new system. Though the Chief Minister reportedly informed them that the revamp suggested by the Transport Minister in connection with the driving tests in the State from May 1 would not be implemented without taking them into confidence, the department has not withdrawn the circular.
