Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 30 (PTI) Keralam's Motor Vehicles Department will introduce Aadhaar-based OTP verification for 60 more services from September 21 to prevent middlemen from exploiting applicants, officials said on Sunday.

The services, available through the Vahan and Sarathi portals for vehicle and driving licence-related matters, respectively, will be brought online under the initiative.

With the new system, applicants will not have to visit Regional Transport offices for most services, according to a department statement.

At present, only 21 services do not require physical appearance.

Complaints had been raised that middlemen were exploiting applicants due to the absence of proper OTP verification for other services, the statement said.

The new system aims to prevent the practice of deliberately delaying applications and then demanding money from applicants by promising to expedite their processing, it said.

The MVD had requested the National Informatics Centre and the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to bring the remaining services online.

Software testing for the new system is currently underway, it said.

Under the new arrangement, applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants will not have to visit MVD offices except for vehicle inspections, identification of legal heirs and personal hearings.

Slots for such requirements can be booked online through the 'Nammude Keralam' portal.

Personal hearings can be attended through video calls using the 'We Meet' facility on the portal, as well.

Applicants will no longer be required to submit copies of online applications at MVD offices, the statement said.

Those requiring technical assistance to submit applications can approach Akshaya or Common Service Centre centres or RT offices.

Applicants will have to appear in person only once if Aadhaar OTP verification fails, for authentication purposes.

Slots for driving and conductor licence tests have to be booked through the Sarathi portal, while slots for fitness tests will be available through Vahan.

Automated vehicle inspection centres will soon be established in all districts. Three such centres have already started functioning in Kollam and Alappuzha districts, the statement added.

Sarathi and Vahan are the two main digital platforms used by Kerala's Motor Vehicles Department to provide online services.

Sarathi handles driving licence-related services, while Vahan caters to vehicle registration and other vehicle-related services. PTI LGK SSK