Mumbai: The indefinite strike by clerical staff of Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) across Maharashtra entered its second day on Wednesday, severely disrupting essential public services and affecting both citizens and the transport sector. Across nearly 60 RTO offices, key clerical operations have come to a virtual standstill. Services such as new vehicle registration number allotment, transfer of vehicle ownership, hypothecation (HP) cancellation, driving licence renewal, permit renewal, issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOC) for interstate vehicle transfers, and document verification have been impacted.
An official from Mumbai RTO, however, said that the city RTOs were less impacted as officials from assistant inspectors, inspectors to deputy RTOs were working round the clock. But many RTOs across the state were affected. “The disruption has led to delays in vehicle documentation, regulatory compliance, and commercial transactions, creating a ripple effect on businesses dependent on transport operations,” said Bal Malkit Singh from All India Motor Transport Congress.
The transport sector is among the worst hit, as the non-processing of permits, registrations, ownership transfers, and NOCs has directly impacted vehicle deployment and operational efficiency, he added. Citizens visiting RTO offices have also faced disappointment as essential services remain unavailable, said Motor Vahan Vibhag Karamachari Sanghatana Maharashtra general secretary Surendra Sartape.
“The indefinite strike by RTO clerical staff has severely impacted the functioning of RTO offices across Maharashtra. Essential services relating to vehicle registration, permit renewals, ownership transfers, NOC issuance, HP cancellation and licence renewals have come to a halt, causing immense hardship to transport operators, businesses and the general public. We urge the govt and the employees’ representatives to resolve the issue through meaningful dialogue at the earliest so that normal services can be restored in the larger public interest,” said another transporter.
The agitation, led by the Maharashtra State RTO Employees Union, is likely to intensify, with the strike set to enter its third day on Thursday as talks remain inconclusive.
