International road safety expert raises alarm over Punjab’s new Automated Driving Test Tracks tender, calling it biased and corruption-driven.
Chandigarh:
International road safety expert Dr. Kamal Soi, Chairman of Rahat – The Safe Community Foundation and Society for Corruption Free India (SCFI), has alleged that the Punjab government’s newly issued tender for Automated Driving Test Tracks (ADTTs) is emerging as a major scam.
Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh, Dr. Soi said the tender appears designed to benefit select private companies rather than ensuring transparency and accountability. He recalled the April 2025 action by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau, which had exposed a massive “license-for-bribe” racket. During that operation, 24 arrests were made, 16 FIRs registered, and several senior officials—including an ADGP, SSP (Vigilance), and an AIG—were suspended.
Dr. Soi urged both the Punjab Chief Minister and Governor to immediately intervene and stop what he described as a “planned scam.” Failing this, he warned that his organizations would have no option but to approach the judiciary to ensure justice for the people of Punjab.
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He also criticized the delay in implementing Microsoft India’s HAMS Technology, which was ready for deployment at SAS Nagar (Mohali) to conduct competency-based driving tests. The project was kept on hold for months and only rolled out after intense media pressure.
Since its launch, over 10,000 driving tests have been conducted at Mohali using the HAMS-based system, with results showing only a 40% pass rate—a stark contrast to the 99% pass rate in other parts of Punjab. “This discrepancy highlights serious concerns about corruption and flawed testing systems,” Dr. Soi said, noting that even the Supreme Court of India has repeatedly pulled up the state government on this issue.
Despite these findings, the Punjab government has issued a new RFP (Notification No: PSTS/1361, dated 05.09.2025) for the selection of service providers to manage the implementation, operation, and maintenance of ADTTs for the next five years. According to Dr. Soi, this tender reeks of manipulation, favoritism, and corruption, raising questions over the state’s commitment to road safety and transparency.
