The Bengal government formally announced on Thursday that all relevant vehicle-related documents could be now carried electronically on DigiLocker platform or the mParivahan app.
DigiLocker and mParivahan are mobile apps that allow citizens to carry their identification and mandatory vehicle related documents in digital form.
A notification issued by the state transport secretary said “documents produced before law enforcing authorities via DigiLocker platform or mParivahan app shall be deemed to be legally recognised at par with the original or physical documents”.
The order comes into “immediate effect”.
The Telegraph had earlier reported about the move in September on the lines of the initiative started by the Delhi government.
Senior officials of the transport department said that in 2018, the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) had directed all states and Union Territories to ensure that police accept documents presented by citizens though DigiLocker and similar other apps as valid.
Officers said in this new order enforcing agencies would have to impound documents from an offender using “e-challan system” and the record would get updated on Vahaan database, which is a data repository of all vehicles registered in the country.
“Police managing traffic in Kolkata and other police commissionerate areas as well as in districts have been briefed about the new order,” the officer said.
To get a digital driving licence and a vehicle registration certificate on DigiLocker, one needs to link the DigiLocker account with Aadhaar.
Once the linking is completed, one can access the “Pull Partner Documents” section in the app for completing the remaining formalities.
Transport department officers said the app allowed one to download a driving licence and vehicle registration certificate on the phone.
On Thursday evening, a copy of the notification was sent to all police commissioners, district magistrates, superintendents of police, the director-general of police and the additional director-general of police overseeing traffic.