Government asks vehicle owners to update mobile numbers

According to the state transport department, about 80 per cent of vehicle owners and DL holders in the state have updated their mobile numbers on the Vahan and Sarathi applications.

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The govt has called upon driving licence (DL) holders and registered vehicle owners to update or add their mobile numbers through the Aadhaar authentication process on the transport database. This step is essential for accessing any vehicle-related services.“The ministry of road transport and highways has announced that people can update or add their mobile details by visiting the Vahan and Sarathi portals. This initiative ensures that all information is complete, accurate, and current,” a senior transport department official said.Sources in the department said this measure will address the issue of vehicle owners and DL holders who frequently change their phone numbers and addresses to avoid paying fines.“A substantial number of vehicle owners and DL holders have not updated their mobile numbers on the Vahan and Sarathi databases. Consequently, they miss out on important service-related alerts, statutory notices, and other critical communications, which hampers timely compliance and necessary actions,” read a recent letter from the ministry to the state transport department.The ministry has tasked the National Informatics Centre (NIC) with the responsibility of capturing and updating communication details, particularly mobile numbers, of vehicle owners and DL holders.According to the state transport department, about 80 per cent of vehicle owners and DL holders in the state have updated their mobile numbers on the Vahan and Sarathi applications. Odisha currently has around 94,000 vehicles across all categories, including two-wheelers.“We began linking mobile numbers of vehicle owners and DL holders in 2013. However, there are technical challenges with the existing system. Many vehicles registered under corporate companies and private organisations do not have Aadhaar cards. Additionally, there have been reports of impersonation, where Aadhaar and phone numbers of individuals who are not the genuine owners of vehicles and DLs were updated,” the transport official noted.