Government Proposes Colour-Coded Driving Licences and Mandatory Emergency Contacts

The Road Transport Ministry has proposed new draft rules to introduce separate colour schemes for driving licences issued to Indian citizens and foreign nationals.

Licence Changes

Under draft amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, all new or renewed licences will be printed as laminated or Polyvinyl Chloride cards in Form 7. These cards will feature mandatory details including the holder's blood group, mobile number, and emergency contact numbers. The ministry also wants to raise the pass mark for the safe-driving tutorial assessment from 60% to 75%, and make sure the tutorial runs for at least 30 minutes.

Application Rules

Applicants will no longer need to submit affidavits sworn before an executive magistrate or notary for age and address proof. Instead, the ministry proposes accepting life insurance policies alongside documents like Aadhaar, passports, voter cards, birth certificates, and e-ration cards. Authorities will have to approve or reject requests to update personal details within 15 days, while all fees for updating personal details will be removed. Online services completed using Aadhaar authentication will also receive fee waivers.

Context

These proposed rules are part of the government's ongoing efforts to update road safety standards and streamline vehicle and driver documentation. Stakeholders have 30 days from the publication date to submit their objections and suggestions to the draft notification.