Mumbai: Your Aadhaar data may be used by RTO

RTO wants the information as Aadhaar cards are linked to mobile phone numbers and will help verify the person. File pic

In a bid to tackle traffic e-challans sent to people whose mobile phone numbers are incorrectly registered with the Motor Vahan database, Maharashtra's Regional Transport Office (RTO) is now mulling on taking the help of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) data. It will be used while issuing vehicle-related information to the mobile number of the correct licensed owner to 'reduce the pendency' of e-challans.

Besides this, RTO is also coming up with a One Time Password (OTP) while registering a vehicle. It will be registered after an alphanumeric string of characters to authenticate the user, is feeded in.

Many people have been issued e-challans for no fault of theirs. After four months of being bombarded by 11 wrong e-challans for illegal parking, mid-day photographer Suresh Karkera, a bike owner, along with a mid-day team had managed to track down the owner of an offending scooter that Karkera was being fined for. mid-day had reported this, 'After 11 wrong e-challans, mid-day tracks down owner of offending scooter,' on August 29.

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Why UIDAI data

"We are now planning to take the help of UIDAI as Aadhar Card is linked to a person's mobile number. We can verify the owner with the help of UIDAI data and then issue vehicle-related information to the licensed owner without error," a senior RTO officer told mid-day.

The officer added that the consent of National Information Centre (NIC) and UIDAI officials is paramount in this initiative. "We will also have to check the legal and technical possibilities," he said.

OTP may be compulsory

The officer further added that many vehicles are getting registered with mobile numbers which are not verified. "There are several private agents who help customers get their vehicles registered. But due to human error, eg punching of incorrect mobile number, the e-challans are either not delivered, or sent to the wrong mobile number. We are now on the verge of making OTP mandatory. The customer will have to punch his/her own mobile number, and then they will receive an OTP and then the vehicle will be registered. This registered mobile number will help us send them vehicle related information ie e-challans," the officer said.

In the past two months, the Mumbai traffic police have issued 432 e-challans to wrong motorists in Mumbai.

432
No. of e-challans issued to wrong people in past two months

Also Read: Supreme Court seeks Centre's reply on Facebook's plea over linking social media accounts with Aadhaar

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