RTO Almora

Almora is a cantonment town and the administrative headquarters of Almora district in Uttarakhand. This town is located on the southern edge of the Kumaon Hills. It is well known for its pilgrimage sites, and many people come to this city at specific seasons for pilgrimage. Tourist vehicle permits are issued by the regional transport office (RTO) in Almora. UK-01 is the code for the Regional Transport Office in Almora and was created under the transport department of Uttarakhand. However, Almora has three RTO offices UA-01, UP-01, UK-01.

The RTO in Almora was created to perform the following functions:

• Ensure the growth and development of road transportation.

• Spread awareness about road safety.

• Ensure proper enforcement and implementation of provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988.

• Issue driver and learner's licence.

• Register new vehicles and also renew the registrations.

• Issue various types of vehicle permits.

• To conduct fitness and driving tests for issuing driving licences and fitness certificates.

Almora RTO issues various types of driving licences. Some of them are as follows:

• Driver’s licence
• Learner’s licence
• International driving permit
• Authorisation of vehicles carrying hazardous chemicals
• Addition of another vehicle class to the licence.

Almora RTO provides two types of vehicle registration:

• Temporary Registration

• Permanent Registration 

Vehicle registration fees for different types of vehicles in Almora are listed below:

• Motorcycle - ₹200

• Two-wheelers Including Scooters - ₹50

• Three-wheelers and Four-wheelers for Private use - ₹600

• Three-wheelers and Four-wheelers for Commercial use - ₹1000

• Heavy Passenger Vehicle - ₹1000

• Heavy Goods Vehicle - ₹1500

• Medium Passenger Vehicle - ₹1000

• Medium Goods Vehicle - ₹1000

• Other Vehicles – ₹3000

The road tax levied in Almora depends upon various parameters like vehicle age, seating capacity, the purpose of usage, and vehicle category. RTO Almora follows the standards of Uttarakhand Road Tax. the taxes levied by the RTO are as follows:

• Two-wheelers costing up to ₹20 lakhs - One-time tax is around 6%-8% depending on the vehicle cost

• Four-wheelers costing up to ₹20 lakhs - One-time tax is around 6%-8% depending on the vehicle cost

Following traffic rules is necessary if you do not wish to pay fines. Below are traffic fines for violating the most common traffic rules in Almora:

• Driving Without a Number Plate: first offence: ₹500, second offence: ₹1500

• Driving While Using Mobile: first offence: ₹1000, second offence: ₹5000

• Driving Without a Helmet: ₹1000 and licence suspension for three months

• Using the Wrong Number Plate: ₹5000 

• Driving while Physically/Mentally unfit: first offence: ₹1000, second offence: ₹5000

• Driving Without a Seatbelt: ₹1000 or community service

• Driving Without a Licence: ₹2500 

It is mandatory to have motor insurance for driving your vehicle in Almora. The government of India mandates third-party insurance as per the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988. You will have to pay ₹2000 if you do not insure your car and a fine of ₹4000 for repeating the same offence.

Traffic issues, including jams and congestion, occur mostly due to tourists in specific seasons in Almora.

Recently, traffic jams have become very common among all internal routes in Almora district headquarters. This is primarily due to wrong parking or haphazard parking in different places. Due to the lack of footpaths on the internal routes, pedestrians face many problems in such traffic jams.

Following are a few campaigns for educating people about road safety:

• SUM Net India

Sustainable urban mobility network India organised three-day campaigns in Dharanaula, Almora. This campaign aimed to make the major junctions in Almora safe for pedestrians. This campaign proposed various suggestions, including closing drains with slabs, prohibiting two-wheelers on such roads and discouraging parking.

• Road Safety Awareness Rally

The police visited people in markets and streets carrying posters and banners about traffic safety rules. The banner addressed the dos and don'ts while driving and all the precautions for avoiding accidents on the road. People were requested to know and follow the traffic rules through the campaign.