Telangana: M-RTA has no insurance

Hyderabad: Vehicle insurance on RTA m-Wallet app,  which helps motorists to avoid carrying vehicle-related documents  like driving licence, registration certificate (RC), has motorists to take along the hard copies as the policy renewals are not updated on time on the app. 

Vehicle owners have complained that insurance details are not updated even after the policies have been renewed. They alleged that it often takes months for the online platform to show the details. 

The traffic police blamed it on insurance companies for the delay in providing the details. 

Mr Jai Sharma, a vehicle owner who uses the m-RTA wallet, said, “I don't carry the hard copy of the RC. But the insurance details do not get updated even after I renewed the policy. It takes months. Luckily, I haven’t got a challan for this. Also, I cannot share the RC with anyone who uses the app.”

Due to its convenience, many people are getting attracted to the app.  Mr Vikrant Gill, a vehicle owner, said, “I found the RTA wallet a good alternative. New insurance claims are updated on the app on time. However, the renewals are a challenge. If this can be fixed, it is a convenient option.”

This technical snag has put the traffic police at the receiving end.

Mr Ashok Kumar, a user of the app, pointed out, “As the insurance information on the app is outdated, anyone can carry a fake insurance copy with altered validity dates. Currently, the traffic police has no application with them to validate this. Without proper validation process of insurance documents, how can people be challaned?’’

Asked about this, Mr J. Panduranga Naik, joint transport commissioner, said, “The Insurance Information Bureau (IIB) has to update the policies and link them with the transport department to be updated on the m-RTA wallet. Talks are on with IIB. Soon, it will be updated.”

An IIB official said, “It is automatic and there is no manual intervention. There could be an issue probably with the app that it’s not getting updated.”

Due to its widening reach, the traffic police is planning to add the pollution documents to the app. Panduranga Naik added, “We are planning to include pollution documents on m-RTA Wallet and are working on it. All pollution testing centres will be linked to the server and details of tested vehicles will be updated.”