Renewal of Driving License

I had made it a point to remember the validity date of my driving license , which was on 21st July this year. Till now I had got the renewal done through a few RTO Inspectors who happened to be my patients and had not visited this Government office for many years. This year, I had come to know that they were to issue the license in a smart card format and so going there in person was a must.

Last month one of my patients had come to the clinic to get the Fitness Certificate which is a part of the renewal process. I just interacted with him to familiarize myself with the formalities . He told me the details of going to this window and then that window and so on as is expected in a govt office , but he assured me that it was very smooth function and that I would have no problem . He also offered to give me a set of renewal forms which he could spare. I readily took the offer as it saved one trip to the office.

Today after the clinic hours -- had a light day today --- I went to the RTO office which happens to be just across the express way, near my clinic. I parked my scooter in the shade and had a look around. Didn't know where to begin. Surprisingly things looked clean and organised . I walked across to a structure with a few windows and enquired at a window no.3. He pointed out to a structure right across and opposite this office and said ' go and get this signature ' , showing me a bunch of papers. I walked across over well laid out test driving tracks for two wheelers , and a few groups of people eagerly awaiting their turn to give the driving test on a few heavy vehicles .

On reaching the windows --all cashier windows --I enquired about this renewal procedure. He pointed across to the same building from where I had walked and said that office but was kind enough to tell me the window no. 1. I was really surprised by the polite talk and an obvious helpful and smiling faces that for a moment I forgot I was in a govt. place. Again the walk across to a grumpy looking person on window no 1. He had an unbuttoned shirt , a gold rimmed specs, an open pen in the right hand and a look on his face which said ' now it is nearing 1.30 the eagerly awaited lunch time and enough is enough -- had a hard morning session- and so come after lunch or tomorrow'. To my utter disbelief he looked up , smiled for a second , looked at my documents , signed and said 'to the cashier across '. Now the walk back again.

There was no one in line, so paid my charges and the clerk keeping the papers with him said ' come after 3 /4 days and collect the license from window no 1' As I was walking to my scooter I caught sight of a familiar person in uniform who was sitting under the shade behind a desk full of papers and many people around. Oh I said it is Mr.Patil [ one of my patients ] on duty . On seeing me he left his work and came up to enquire. He then took me to the cashier , collected my papers , took me to the office with window no.1 and instructed the clerk to issue the renewed license right away. I got a respectful look from the staff on seeing him with me . I got the renewed license in 5 mins. He then walked back with me asking me to spare 30 mins on any day for the smart card. I thanked him for paying personal attention and declined the offer of tea which he made.

Well a big work done license renewed up to July 2012 .