Applicants undertake driving tests on the newly inaugurated serpentine track at Chandrasekharpur driving test centre in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.

The transport department laid the new serpentine track and a gradient track with a slope at the centre to make driving test more stringent for those seeking licences.

While applicants seeking driving licence for two-wheelers would undergo a test on the serpentine track, those for light motor vehicles such as cars and other four-wheelers will have to show their skills on the gradient track.

"People driving four-wheelers don't always come across straight tracks and they also travel on hilly roads and inclined paths with a slope. Our aim is to have a stricter driving test as the new tracks would ensure that licences are issued to competent applicants," said regional transport officer, Bhubaneswar II, S.K. Behera.

"In the first phase, our officials would visually monitor the test at the new tracks. Later, the centre would have an automated driving tracks that would be fitted with cameras and censors and the driving test result would be obtained through computerised methods. A tender for automated driving testing track has already been floated," said Behera.

Besides, the transport department is also planning to induct a simulator test for four-wheeler drivers, along with the field test. A simulator has computerised realistic vehicle controls such as brake, clutch, steering and rear viewing facility. The simulators also give a realistic experience of driving on the rural and urban roads with different weather and light conditions.

On the other hand driving licence applicants apprehended hard times ahead. "Most of the applicants learn the driving skill on busy roads and open fields. With the new mandatory test, it would be difficult for us as such roads does not exist in the city," said Ajay Das, an applicant.

Text by Lelin Mallick, picture by Ashwinee Pati