After a fortnight?s wait, the transport department will start issuing the much-hyped smart cards from Friday.

According to department officials, the computerised cards will be issued for both driving licences and blue books. Initially, the cards will be issued to vehicles registered with the public vehicles department (PVD). Later, the service will be extended to other regional transport offices.

?As the Assembly by-election has been announced, no minister can inaugurate any event or project. So, there will be no big-ticket launch of the service. A formal programme can be organised after the bypoll,? said a transport department official.

PVD director H. Mohan said smart cards will be initially issued for new driving licences and registration of new vehicles.

?From Friday, those who will apply for driving licences and registration of new vehicles will be given smart cards. After a month, we will start issuing smart cards to those who have already obtained licences,? he added.

The PVD has issued nearly 1.5 million driving licences and registered more than 870,000 vehicles.

?It?s a tough task to replace so many licenses and blue books with smart cards. We?re setting up infrastructure, including a computer network, at the PVD office for the purpose. In due course, we?ll inform car-owners to get their licences and blue books replaced by smart cards,?? Mohan said.

A smart card will cost Rs 460 for the driving licence (learner licence fee: Rs 50; testing fee: Rs 50; licence fee: Rs 220 and card fee: Rs 140 ) and Rs 240 for the blue book.

The smart card for driving licence will contain details of the driver ? including his/her name, address and age ? as well as the date of issuing the licence and its validity. The smart card for blue books will contain details of the vehicles.