Sri Lanka's Motor Traffic Department (MTD) is pushing forward with a major digital transformation to enhance public service efficiency, curb corruption, and improve convenience for citizens.
This move is part of the broader government initiative to modernise public services through digitalisation. However, the project faces significant hurdles, including outdated systems, slow progress, and resistance from certain corrupt officials.
The MTD has introduced online services for vehicle registration, license renewals, and fee payments, aiming to streamline processes.
Despite the promises of a more efficient system, the digitisation effort, initiated in 2018, has been hampered by procurement delays and administrative inefficiencies.
Senior officials attribute this to red tape behavior within the tender board and the slow pace of the procurement process, which has been further complicated by official changes in previous governments.
One of the core challenges lies in the inefficiency of the existing system, which has not been updated in two decades. Senior officials often retire or are transferred before projects are completed, leading to inconsistent decision-making and delays.
Furthermore, the system’s infrastructure is not capable of supporting modern technological advancements, which has led to over-reliance on external vendors, and in some cases, the abandonment of projects altogether.
In 2016, the MTD initiated a tender for a new system called e motoring, aimed at improving vehicle registration and motor vehicle transfer processes.
However, despite being awarded to a local company in 2018, the project’s implementation has been postponed repeatedly due to issues such as unsuitable office space for the system’s deployment and administrative red tape,
The original office building was deemed unfit, and the relocation of the department to a new facility has faced delays, further stalling progress, a high official of the MTD said.
Internal resistance from a few corrupted MTD officials, some of whom benefit from the outdated system, has also contributed to the project’s failure.
Allegations of corruption and fraudulent practices have emerged, with investigations by the Bribery Commission leading to the suspension of several officials.
The current system’s poor organisation and lack of proper archiving of vehicle registration documents have further facilitated malpractices.
Despite these challenges, the current MTD Commissioner General Nishantha Anuruddha Weerasingha has made strides in implementing some reforms.
Recently, the department began scanning and archiving vehicle registration documents to improve record-keeping.
Although the full e motoring system is still pending approval, these initial steps are intended to clean up existing processes. Additionally, the Commissioner plans to continue the system's rollout in the current Narahenpita building, rather than relocating as previously suggested.
Despite these hurdles, the department has seen some success. The Commissioner has managed to increase the department’s revenue even in the face of restrictions on vehicle imports.
He has also worked to reduce the backlog of over 950,000 pending driving license applications, clearing 95 percent of it.
Looking ahead, the MTD is planning to launch an e Driving License system, which will be accessible via mobile phones, and introduce a new system to track traffic violations through demerit points, which will allow for real-time fine payments by offenders.
While the road to full digitisation remains fraught with challenges, the MTD is taking significant steps to modernise its operations and improve service delivery.
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