– More than 6.5 million driving licenses remain unprinted due to a shortage of printing cards and machines, forcing authorities to issue temporary licenses to many applicants.Commissioner General of Motor Transport, retired Air Vice Marshal Thushara Fernando, said the Department of Motor Traffic expects to receive several printing machines by mid-November.

The new machines are expected to double the department’s driving license printing capacity, he said.Fernando said the department expects to resume issuing driving licenses under normal conditions by around April next year.Meanwhile, applicants continue to face delays as the department works to address the backlog caused by shortages of printing materials and equipment.