Minister KB Ganesh Kumar's decision to reform the driving test without providing basic facilities failed miserably. The minister was completely on the defensive when the reform, which was carried out without taking even the top officials into confidence, could not be implemented and the test was stalled for 14 days.

Senior leaders of the Left Front have assessed that the minister took decisions without understanding the limitations of the Motor Vehicles Department, which does not have its own place or vehicles, to implement the driving test reform. It was following the discontentment from all quarters that the driving test reform was frozen.

As soon as he assumed office, the minister had suggested that the driving test should be restructured from top to bottom.  Transport Commissioner S Sreejith had earlier pointed out the danger of reforming   without taking the driving schools  into confidence when the test was being conducted at a place rented out by the driving schools. Out of the 86 places where the test is conducted, only eight tests are being conducted at the land owned by the Motor Vehicle Department. The motor vehicle department did not have a single suitable vehicle for the test even though they were charging a fee.

 

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The Minister was also angry with the Transport Commissioner for the delay in coming up with test reform proposals despite explaining the limitations. With this, the first circular was issued in February copying the instructions of the minister. After this no decisive decision has been taken by the Transport Commissioner. When the minister was abroad, Additional Transport Commissioner Pramoj Shankar was assigned to discuss with the strike committee.

In the meeting of the top officials, the minister had suggested reducing the number of driving tests from the next day onwards and had scolded those who disclosed this to people outside. This had led to the loss of trust among the  officials.  People who had lost their opportunity without getting any proper warning protested and the decision was reversed following the intervention of Chief Minister’s Office. Even though there was a possibility of reconciliation, the minister decided to carry out the reforms from May.

The officials were instructed to find a place to conduct the test, but the minister, who was busy with the election campaigns, could not allocate funds on time  to prepare infrastructure. The driving school started protesting when the minister stood firm on his decisions. The minister would have got the support of the public if he had acquired the revenue poramboke and KSRTC land, prepared a place for the driving test, bought his own vehicles for the test and embarked on reforms.

It has been alleged that Ganesh Kumar has been doing the same in the motor vehicle department and KSRTC since the beginning, in the style of demolishing all the decisions taken by his predecessor Antony Raju. Just like the minister had to back down from the claim of loss of electric buses, the driving test reform is also backtracking