With the easing of border restrictions on international travel, the demand for international driving permits has increased manifold this year. Due to travel restrictions imposed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for international driving permits was low in 2020 and 2021. The Delhi government’s transport department has issued the maximum number of international driving permits, with a total of 4,286 international driving permits. Released between February and June 7 this year.
According to official figures, from February to June 7 this year, 986 international driving permits were issued for Canada, while the number of such permits issued for the United States stood at 1,150. The data showed that Canada had 116 permits issued in February, 212 in March, 302 and 282 in April and May, respectively. 74 such permits were issued in the first week of this month.
The number of international driving permits issued for the US for the different months from February to May were 155, 242, 272 and 381, respectively. The data shows that a hundred permits were issued a week in June.
During the same period, 442 International Driving Permits were issued to Delhiites for Great Britain and 335 Driving Permits for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Meanwhile, France (116) and Ireland (111) also issued more than 100 permits till June 7.
According to department data, 9,142 and 10,040 International Driving Permits were issued in 2018 and 2019. In 2020 and 2021, 2,421 and 4,825 International Driving Permits were issued, respectively.
Officials said international driving permits are issued from various zonal offices with a validity of one year. A senior transport department official said the numbers were down in 2020 and 2021 since the travel ban was in place.
International Driving Permit is only required for those who are traveling abroad. The official also said that there is no restriction on the part of the department. “The figures have gone up in the last four months,” he said.
(with inputs from PTI)
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