Madras Security Printers of India has been given the contract by the government to print and supply additional 750,000 smart driving license cards. The company is also the current supplier of smart driving licenses card.
According to the director general of the Department of Transport Management (DoTM), Roop Narayan Bhattarai, three other French companies were also interested to supply the smart cards.
However, the Indian company made the lowest bid and was awarded the contract. Madras Security Printers said it would supply three smart card printing machines at $980,000 and that it would supply 750,000 smart cards for around Rs 100 per card.
Many people who have passed their trial examination have not been able to get a smart driving license due to the shortage of smart cards. According to DoTM, there is the demand of 4,000 smart cards per day but they have the capacity to distribute only 300 per day.
On May 29, the tender notice to supply the smart card and smart card printing machine was published. The company has also signed the agreement to supply 750,000 smart cards and three printing machines.
According to DoTM, the Indian company will temporarily bridge the gap between the supply of smart driving license card. DoTM is also preparing to call for a global tender for another two million smart cards within few weeks.
