Since last august I stopped writing, mostly because of my laziness in finding new stuff and also in in putting it over here. But finally I found something today, which I can share over here and I am pretty sure that it will help other people too.
I needed an IDP(International Driving Permit) for my onsite project work in US.
For that I went to RTO, Ahmedabad. In our country the most shameful fact is, you can't get things done if you meet right kind of people, instead you need to meet wrong kind of people to get it done. And the irony is, these wrong kind of people are always found at right kind of place.
First thing I saw in the RTO office was window #1, where it was written that "Here you can get all kind of forms". So, i went there and asked the person to give the form for IDP. He told me to go at window #38 to get this form. During that path an agent crossed my way, and asked me "what do u wanna do, I can get all things done". I replied "I want to get an IDP" and continued walking. So, he told me: "Come with me, it will just take Rs. 1200/- and you will get IDP within one day". I said, I wanna get it without any help from agent. The reason behind my attitude was, If one can get license in foreign country without any help from middleman, why can't it is possible in our country.
Upon my reply, that agent started laughing and told me : "It's impossible to get any kind of license in this office without any help from agent, If you will get an IDP without the agent, i will give you Rs.1200/- for it...". I didn't say anything to him and kept walking towards window #38. What I was thinking at that time was: Is it really true OR Is he just trying to convince me. By the time I found window #38. It was 10:40 am and as expected no body was there inside the window. I asked to the person in the other window about the emptiness in #38. He told me to wait till 11am, may be by the time that officer will reach to RTO office. So, I am left with around 20 minutes to spare. There wasn't anybody else in that area to talk to, except that window person. He was also not having any customer to work with. So, to use both his time and my time , I asked him what will I need to get an IDP?? I was pretty sure that he will tell me to get an agent. But to my biggest surprise he told me the whole procedure to get an IDP. I must say, still there are some good employees seating inside the RTO office, who are ready to help if you ask them for help.
As per him, one needs following things to get the IDP.
I am still looking for that agent, after all he owes me Rs. 1200/- ... lol...
I needed an IDP(International Driving Permit) for my onsite project work in US.
For that I went to RTO, Ahmedabad. In our country the most shameful fact is, you can't get things done if you meet right kind of people, instead you need to meet wrong kind of people to get it done. And the irony is, these wrong kind of people are always found at right kind of place.
First thing I saw in the RTO office was window #1, where it was written that "Here you can get all kind of forms". So, i went there and asked the person to give the form for IDP. He told me to go at window #38 to get this form. During that path an agent crossed my way, and asked me "what do u wanna do, I can get all things done". I replied "I want to get an IDP" and continued walking. So, he told me: "Come with me, it will just take Rs. 1200/- and you will get IDP within one day". I said, I wanna get it without any help from agent. The reason behind my attitude was, If one can get license in foreign country without any help from middleman, why can't it is possible in our country.
Upon my reply, that agent started laughing and told me : "It's impossible to get any kind of license in this office without any help from agent, If you will get an IDP without the agent, i will give you Rs.1200/- for it...". I didn't say anything to him and kept walking towards window #38. What I was thinking at that time was: Is it really true OR Is he just trying to convince me. By the time I found window #38. It was 10:40 am and as expected no body was there inside the window. I asked to the person in the other window about the emptiness in #38. He told me to wait till 11am, may be by the time that officer will reach to RTO office. So, I am left with around 20 minutes to spare. There wasn't anybody else in that area to talk to, except that window person. He was also not having any customer to work with. So, to use both his time and my time , I asked him what will I need to get an IDP?? I was pretty sure that he will tell me to get an agent. But to my biggest surprise he told me the whole procedure to get an IDP. I must say, still there are some good employees seating inside the RTO office, who are ready to help if you ask them for help.
As per him, one needs following things to get the IDP.
- One IDP form (Which you will get from window #38)
- One medical fitness checking form (you will need to get it stamped from the doctor, after your normal checking). This form you can get from window #1 and you will need to stick one passport sized photograph on it, upon which doctor need to sign.
- Copy of your passport with visa page along with first and last page.(Keep your original passport with you for verification during the application)
- Copy of your state driving license (Keep your original license with you for verification during the application)
- Your air-travel ticket (Itinerary would be enough)
- Your address proof. If your address is same in both license and passport then you don't need any other proof. If it is different, then you will need to present some other address proof, like electricity bill, voter ID etc.
- Give it at window #38. Here the officer will add some data as per the passport and air-ticket.
- Then he will return all the documents and you will have to go at window #123, where they will check it again for passport and license verification and will stamp it.
- Now, go to Room #2. RTO inspector seats over here, he will again verify it for passport and air-ticket checking. Once he gets convinced that none of them is fake, he will sign those docs and will return it to you.
- Now, you will again need to go at window #38(Still I don't get it, why can't they perform everything at one place. Here, after getting those docs approved from RTO inspector, officer will make an entry in their databook and will write down the number of that receipt on your form.
- Then, go to window #80 to 85. All these windows are called case windows, you can go to any damn window. Here you will have to pay Rs.500/- as IDP fees and will get receipt for it with carbon copy.
- Last but not least, attach the carbon copy of fee receipt with you docs and go to Room #2, submit all the docs to the RTO inspector and DONE !!!. Inspector will take your docs and will tell you to come at around 5:30pm to collect the IDP. The best time to get all these things done is between 11am to 2pm.
- After collecting IDP from room #2 after 5:30 pm, the final thing left to do is to go at the window #38 and get it stamped.
And you are through with getting an IDP from RTO without an Agent. Believe me the
agent may charge you from Rs.500/- to Rs.700/- extra as per his requirement. But, this is not the question of money. Money saving is just the by-product of this cumbersome application
process.
agent may charge you from Rs.500/- to Rs.700/- extra as per his requirement. But, this is not the question of money. Money saving is just the by-product of this cumbersome application
process.
What you will save is the encouragement to "Agent Policy", in more layman terminology you will stop corruption by certain amount. Our country is being driven by corruption so deeply, that it's almost impossible to stop it in a jerk. All we can do is to stop it gradually. This may be just a small step. But, if each and every person will not be consulting agent, believe me one day we won't find any agent having dare to regard license getting task as Impossible without his help.
I am still looking for that agent, after all he owes me Rs. 1200/- ... lol...
