Well, this is about renewal of driving licence at Bangalore West - Rajajinagar RTO.
My driving licence [DL] is going to expire on 19/12/2019. So, it's time to visit Bangalore West - Rajajinagar RTO. But, before that, yesterday, I uploaded my application for DL renewal at sarathi.parivahan.gov.in website and got the application number dated 11/12/2019 and acknowledgement and got them printed. But, I did not have the doctor's certificate. So, I visited the Rajajinagar RTO today morning at 10 am and directly went to the shop number 34 in the BBMP shopping complex, where I found the same doctor from whom I got the medical certificate for ₹ 50, five years ago. The doctor was setting up the things on his table just then. I introduced myself and placed the printed form in front of him. When I told him that I took the certificate from him only five years ago, he was very happy.
Without asking any question, he signed the certificate on the dotted lines. When asked for his fee, he said fifty. I could not believe my ears. I again asked, how much. He mentioned the same fifty again. I paid him and came to the next shop. Bought a a thick envelope with ₹ 18 worth stamps pasted on it for ₹ 20 and wrote my name and address on it. He also uploaded all the documents including the medical certificate and gave me a transparent pouch for attaching the about-to-expire DL with the application form. He charged another ₹ 30 for that. Fully armed with the documents, I went to the counter number 2 of the RTO, where I paid the DL renewal fee, ₹ 351. After that, went to the counter number 20 for capturing my photograph and digital signature, where I paid ₹ 58. I attached all the receipts with the documents, which became somewhat bulky by this time! I was then guided to the RTO's chamber, where a staff examined on his laptop, whether all the documents were uploaded, photography and signature captured, fee paid, etc. He then asked me to go to the counter number 13, where I submitted the documents and got the acknowledgement stamped and signed. I then returned home. All these things consumed a couple of hours. At home, I visited the Sarathi website and checked the application status. I could see my uploaded photograph and signature and the step-by-step tasks involved. Now, my DL is waiting for the approval. It will take atleast 3 weeks before I receive it.
I like the entire process at the RTO. No middleman. No tout. No agent. No bribe. No tips. The RTO staffers were friendly and voluntarily guided me to various counters. In fact, the RTO [Mr Balakrishna] himself came and guided me to his chamber for verification of the documents. Even the last time too, I experienced the same. But then, it was manually done. Now, everything has become online. Kudos to Rajajnagar RTO.