Auto body plans 3 institutes

Western India Automobile Association along with Gujarat government is planning to establish a training and testing institute for drivers and vehicles is working on taking the concept to other states as well.

The association is looking at similar initiatives in Maharasthra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan in a few months.

The association's plan to set up a training and testing institute for drivers and vehicles in Gujarat has received impetus with the state government marking land for the venture near Himmatnagar.

The institute will have residential facilities for driving learners of light and medium vehicles, and heavy vehicles. It will contain simulators to understand driving virtually before practicing on a vehicle.

A test track is also being planned in the premises. The institute is looking to develop infrastructure on 25 acres which could cater to five regional transport offices including Ahmedabad, Mehsana, Gandhinagar, Nadiad and Himmatnagar. Each institute would need an investment of around Rs 10 crore.

WIAA is in the process of setting up vehicle checking and certification units across Gujarat. The vehicle checking units will check the lamps and headlights of every vehicle and replace them on the spot if required.

The centres will come up at 21 accident prone crossroads of Ahmedabad and six other cities in Gujarat. The vehicle certification units will be set up at five locations including Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Kutch, Rajkot and Navsari.

WIAA has decided to expand to other cities in the state including Vadodara, Surat and Rajkot in the near future. It announced that in the inaugural year, 13,654 candidates visited the centre for learners' licence and 9,713 candidates managed to procure them.