
Learning licences will now be issued through Sarathi
The rollout this service began from the Khairtabad office on Saturday. Those who have applied on the older CFST portal will also be served from here.
According to Transport Department officials, the next step of integration, including licence renewal, change of residential address, issuing of duplicate documents, will go live from July 28. The rolling out of these services on Sarathi will be done in other RTA offices on the same date.
'As was decided previously by the Telangana government, the integration is being taken up in a phased manner. It will be easier for citizens to avail crucial services of the Transport Department and will reduce the number of times one will have to visit RTA offices,' a senior Transport Department Official said.
According to the portal, as many as 10 learning licences applications were received at the RTA Central Zone from July 1 to July 25.
Earlier this year, the Telangana government announced its intentions of following suit after several other States decided to implement and integrate transport department services with the Sarathi and Vahan portals.
According to Transport Department officials, the move would bring about ease in accessing services across the country. It would also reduce the number of visits to RTA offices.
Sarathi also enables driving licence holders to make use of facilities provided by DigiLocker. This platform brings about storage and production of official documents, in this case, driving licences. The burden of always carrying hard copies on one's person would be greatly reduced. Further, the move makes sure that digitally issued driving licences are legally valid and readily accessible for verification.
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Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
In just six months, Dubai's transport system carried more people than the entire US population
TL;DR Dubai saw 395.3 million public transport rides in H1 2025, up 9% from 2024. Metro (36.5%) and taxis (26%) made up most of the ridership. The new Blue Line will serve 1M residents across 14 stations. Dubai aims for a fully electric/hydrogen bus fleet by 2050. It's remarkable to consider that Dubai, a city with a population of roughly 11.3 million, recorded an astonishing 395 million public transport rides in just the first half of 2025. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now To put this into perspective, this figure surpasses the entire population of the United States, around 347 million, by a significant margin. In fact, the number of rides is about 35 times greater than the total population of the UAE itself. This striking statistic offers a glimpse into Dubai's rapidly evolving public transport landscape, revealing a system that has become integral to daily life for residents and visitors alike. Dubai's Public Transport: A Growing Backbone of Mobility On July 27, 2025, Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced the impressive figures for public transport ridership during the first six months of the year. The numbers span across multiple transport modes including the Dubai Metro, Dubai Tram, public buses, marine transport, as well as taxis and shared mobility options such as app-based vehicles, hourly rentals, and on-demand buses. The total ridership reached approximately 395.3 million, marking a 9% increase over the roughly 361.2 million rides recorded during the same period in 2024. Average daily ridership climbed to nearly 2.18 million, up from about 1.98 million daily rides the previous year. Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, emphasized the importance of this growth. He said, 'The continued growth in public transport ridership reflects users' confidence in the system's efficiency and the quality of services provided across all modes. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now We remain committed to delivering safe, comfortable, and sustainable mobility solutions for every segment of society. ' Al Tayer highlighted that Dubai's public transport network has undergone a major transformation. 'Driven by advanced infrastructure and a diverse range of transit options,' he explained, 'the network now forms the backbone of mobility for residents and visitors across the emirate.' Notably, the share of journeys using public transport and shared mobility options has increased from just 6% in 2006 to 21.6% in 2024, a clear indication of shifting public attitudes toward sustainable and convenient mass transit. Expanding Infrastructure and Environmental Commitments Looking ahead, Dubai is actively expanding its transit system. The ongoing construction of the Dubai Metro Blue Line is a major project, set to add 30 kilometers and 14 new stations. The line will serve nine key districts housing an estimated combined population of one million residents, aligning with the broader Dubai 2040 Urban Plan. Al Tayer revealed that the RTA is pursuing a strategic vision to make public transport the preferred choice for daily commuting. 'We are moving forward with a clear vision to make public transport the preferred choice by smartly expanding transport lines and networks, strengthening connectivity between stations and key destinations, and offering flexible, inclusive mobility solutions.' In line with environmental goals, the RTA recently signed four agreements to procure 637 multi-sized buses compliant with the European low-emission standard 'Euro 6.' This includes 40 electric buses, making it the largest and first fleet of its kind in the UAE. These buses, expected to be delivered in 2025 and 2026, will support geographic expansion and help achieve the long-term target of converting the entire public bus fleet to electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2050. This month, the RTA also completed the development of 16 bus passenger stations and six depots to enhance service quality. Ridership Breakdown: Metro, Taxis, and More During the first half of 2025, the Dubai Metro and taxis accounted for the largest shares of ridership, contributing 36.5% and 26% of total trips respectively. Public buses remained vital, making up 24% of overall ridership. May was the busiest month, with ridership peaking at 68.8 million trips, while the other months ranged between 61 million and 68 million rides. Reflecting on these figures, Mattar Al Tayer said: 'There was a 9% increase in ridership during the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2024, a key indicator of the recovery in economic activity across the emirate of Dubai, as well as the effectiveness of the RTA's strategies and initiatives to encourage both residents and visitors to use public transport and to offer diverse mobility options throughout the city.' Breaking down the metro ridership further, the Dubai Metro recorded approximately 143.9 million riders across its Red and Green Lines. The stations with the highest traffic were: BurJuman Station (serving both lines) with 8.6 million riders Al Rigga Station with 6.8 million riders with 6.8 million riders Union Station with 6.6 million riders On the Red Line, the busiest stations after Al Rigga were: Mall of the Emirates Station with 5.6 million riders Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Station with 5.4 million riders Business Bay Station with 5.3 million riders On the Green Line, the most popular stations included: Sharaf DG Station with 5.1 million riders Baniyas Station with 4.1 million riders Stadium Station with approximately 3.6 million riders Additional modes of transport contributed significantly as well. The Dubai Tram carried 4.9 million riders, while public buses served 95.7 million passengers. Marine transport modes collectively transported 9.7 million users, shared mobility services—including app-based vehicles and on-demand buses, accounted for 37.6 million rides, and taxis carried 103.5 million riders during this period. The Dubai Metro Blue Line: A Landmark Development The Dubai Metro Blue Line is poised to become a vital addition to the city's transport network. Stretching 30 kilometers with 14 stations, it will improve connectivity between key areas such as Mirdif, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai Creek Harbour, and Dubai Festival City. The line is designed to handle a maximum capacity of over 850,000 passengers per day, with projections estimating 200,000 daily passengers by 2030 and 320,000 by 2040. A notable highlight is the Emaar Properties station, which will be the tallest metro station in the world at 74 meters high, symbolizing Dubai's ambition to combine cutting-edge infrastructure with architectural excellence. Dubai's public transport success story is a testament to visionary planning, significant investment, and a steadfast commitment to sustainability and inclusivity. From a modest 6% public transport share in 2006 to becoming a city where nearly 2.2 million rides are taken daily in 2025, Dubai is redefining urban mobility on a scale that rivals entire nations.


Time of India
9 hours ago
- Time of India
Motorists fume as Telangana RTA drives up service charges
Hyderabad: Applicants attempting to book slots for various transactions at the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) woke up to a rude shock on Sunday as they found a sudden increase in charges across several services. The revision came into effect at 2 am. The new rate-card shows that RTA has revised fees anywhere from Rs 100 to Rs 1,000 — with a fourfold jump in rates for a no-objection certificate (NOC). Available for Rs 100 until now, every NOC will now cost a motorist Rs 435. The cost for terminating vehicle agreements for four-wheelers has also been substantially increased from Rs 2,135 to Rs 3,135. Even commonly availed costs, right from learners' licence to vehicle hypothecation, have been brought under the new price umbrella. Motorists applying for any licence will have to cough up an additional Rs 100. The only exemptions: Permits, vehicle fitness assessments, taxes on vehicles from other states, permit cancellations, life taxes, and quarterly taxes. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad 10k applicants to be impacted This revision — brought in three years after a hike on life taxes — is likely to impact at least 10,000 daily applicants at all RTA offices across the state. In 2022, the Telangana govt had raised life taxes under the Telangana Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1963, with increases ranging from 9% to 19% based on vehicle cost and category. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Unsold 2021 Cars Now Almost Free - Prices May Surprise You Unsold Cars | Search Ads Learn More Undo Many applicants, while ruing the sharp rise, also complained about the current revision being implemented surreptitiously without prior public announcement or notification. In fact, the RTA website: is yet to be updated with these new charges. Speaking to TOI, some said that they realised that the fees had been hiked only when they went to their RTA office to avail of a service. 'I tried to secure a learner's licence slot two days ago, when the fee displayed was Rs 450. However, I encountered technical issues and couldn't complete the booking. When I tried again on Sunday, I was surprised to see that the total amount had risen to Rs 550, with the service charge component having increased from Rs 100 to Rs 200,' said K Venkatesh, an applicant from Uppal. Move to increase revenue: RTA RTA officials said that the revision was aimed at enhancing revenue. 'Only service charges, which have remained unchanged for several years, have been increased. However, we need to monitor the situation for at least one month to assess how these increased charges contribute to revenue enhancement,' MM Chandrasekhar Goud, joint transport commissioner (IT & Vigilance), told TOI. Sources, on the other hand, hinted at the move being designed to accommodate tax exemptions being offered to EV buyers. Incidentally, since the Telangana govt implemented its EV policy on Nov 16, 2024, Rs 400 crore (approx) tax has been exempted through sales of more than 50,000 EVs. 'The govt's actions are unfair, as they offer complete tax relief to electric vehicles while parallelly raising service charges,' said M Dayanand, general secretary, Telangana Auto and Motor Welfare Union.'The facilities at their offices lack essential amenities for the public, and applicants are forced to wait in long queues for their turn. It is disappointing that despite these ongoing service deficiencies, the RTA has implemented increased service charges. I urge the govt authorities to reinstate the previous fee structure, in the interest of the public.'


The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
Learning licences will now be issued through Sarathi
The Transport Department has taken steps to integrate its functioning with the National Informatics Centre-developed Sarathi portal, with driving learning licenses being issued from the Road Transport Authority office in Khairtabad. The rollout this service began from the Khairtabad office on Saturday. Those who have applied on the older CFST portal will also be served from here. According to Transport Department officials, the next step of integration, including licence renewal, change of residential address, issuing of duplicate documents, will go live from July 28. The rolling out of these services on Sarathi will be done in other RTA offices on the same date. 'As was decided previously by the Telangana government, the integration is being taken up in a phased manner. It will be easier for citizens to avail crucial services of the Transport Department and will reduce the number of times one will have to visit RTA offices,' a senior Transport Department Official said. According to the portal, as many as 10 learning licences applications were received at the RTA Central Zone from July 1 to July 25. Earlier this year, the Telangana government announced its intentions of following suit after several other States decided to implement and integrate transport department services with the Sarathi and Vahan portals. According to Transport Department officials, the move would bring about ease in accessing services across the country. It would also reduce the number of visits to RTA offices. Sarathi also enables driving licence holders to make use of facilities provided by DigiLocker. This platform brings about storage and production of official documents, in this case, driving licences. The burden of always carrying hard copies on one's person would be greatly reduced. Further, the move makes sure that digitally issued driving licences are legally valid and readily accessible for verification.