One RTO battles 30 lakh vehicles in Ahmedabad
Pulkit Vasudha
Ahmedabad, Jul 6: Major discrepancies have come up in regard to the condition of the regional transport offices (RTOs) in the state.
In December 2005, Bangalore had almost 23 lakh vehicles on its roads, with 10 regional transport officers and 217 technical inspectors. In comparison, today, Ahmedabad has almost 30 lakh vehicles, with only one regional transport officer and 17 technical inspectors.
In fact, the total staff at the 25 RTOs and assistant regional transport offices (ARTO) in Gujarat, is less than the cumulative strength of the 13 RTO and ARTO offices in Bangalore alone. In 1991, there were approximately 25 lakh vehicles on the roads in the state. Out of the 395 posts in the RTO, only 37 posts were vacant. At present, there are almost 95 lakh vehicles in Gujarat. Out of the 251 positions allotted, 83 are vacant.
Out of these 251 posts, the remaining 168 posts are filled with officers on deputation from the land reforms, irrigation, revenue and water supply departments. Thirty-nine of 54 assistant inspectors are on deputation, as are 12 out of 15 regional transport officers.
President of the Gujarat Motor Vehicles Department’s (GMVD) technical officers’ association, DR Patel said, “There have been no recruitments in the RTOs in Gujarat since 1984.”
On any working day, the RTO in Ahmedabad receives almost 800 applications for the issue of or renewal of driving licenses and 900 applications for fitness tests and transfer of registration of vehicles.
“Everyone who comes to the RTO insists on getting their licenses or fitness test certificates at fast as possible. Though we are hard pressed for staff, we complete these procedures in seven days,” said the inspector of motor vehicles. The RTO receives over 325 applications daily for the registration of motorcycles, light motor vehicles and other vehicles. “We have almost 60,000 pending applications for the issuance of registration booklets since last Diwali,” according to a source.
A head clerk in the RTO, Maryben, said, “I have been at this post for over 10 years and still there is no promotion in sight. Whenever a person retires, there is no substitute for his post.”
Since GA Oza, the regional transport officer of Ahmedabad was transferred a fortnight ago, AB Jhala has taken over the post on deputation.
Source: Indian Express