Delhi witnesses rise in International Driving Permits as govt eases border restrictions

The officials of the Delhi Transport Department said that the demand for international driving permits was low in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, as reported by PTI.

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The demand for international driving permits has picked up in Delhi since the easing of border restrictions on international travel, officials said on May 9. The officials of the Delhi Transport Department said that the demand for international driving permits was low in 2020 and 2021 due to travel restrictions imposed in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to data accessed from the transport department through an RTI plea, in 2020 and 2021, as many as 2,421 and 4,825 international driving permits were issued, respectively. However, till April 29 this year, 2,849 such permits have been issued, showed the data.

The department issued 9,175 international driving permits in 2018 which subsequently rose to 10,049 the following year. International driving permits are issued from various zonal offices with a validity of one year, the officials said.

A senior official from the transport department said, "The numbers are lower in 2020 and 2021 since there were travel restrictions. The document is required only by those who are travelling abroad. The numbers will pick up with the resumption of international travel."

Another official said it's only because of the pandemic that the numbers were lower. "There are no restrictions from our end. In the last four months, the figures have gone up," he added. 

(With inputs from PTI)