A week after the Tamil Nadu government introduced reforms to streamline vehicle registration and eliminate corruption, the Regional Transport Office (RTO) in Karur is reportedly flouting the new rules. The office continues to demand physical inspection of new vehicles and solicits bribes, undermining the state's digital push aimed at curbing delays and malpractices.
Digital Reforms Ignored, Bribes Demanded
The state's reform, initiated following a Madras High Court direction, allows automobile dealers to register vehicles directly at their showrooms using digital certification. This system is designed to remove the need for vehicle owners to visit RTOs. However, dealers in Karur report that the local RTO is insisting on manual inspections for new cars and two-wheelers, directly violating the government circular.
Dealers have alleged that bribes of Rs 1,500 for each motorcycle and Rs 2,000 for a car are being demanded for registration approvals. Kumaran, a local automobile dealer, stated that citing the official circular often results in approvals being withheld. Dealers have identified motor vehicle inspector Saravanan as the officer insisting on physical checks.
Systemic Hurdles and Redundant Paperwork
The problem extends beyond physical inspections. Dealers point out that RTOs are also demanding the physical submission of documents that were already uploaded digitally during the online registration process. These documents include:
- Aadhaar details
- Sale forms
- Manufacturer invoices
Inspectors seek to attest these documents again, even though critical identifiers like engine and chassis numbers are already locked digitally on the central Vahan system after customer authentication. A dealer argued that this redundancy defeats the purpose of digital reform, as all key data, including type-approval certificates and manufacturer information, is already available on the Vahan cloud. These repeated steps add no technical value and only restore discretionary power to officials, creating opportunities for corruption.
Gaps in Policy and Administrative Chaos
The issue is compounded by administrative gaps. Sources indicate that the Karur RTO does not have a full-time RTO; an officer from Dindigul is currently holding additional charge. While transport department officials have warned the concerned officer and promised action, the malpractice persists.
Dealers also highlighted a significant policy gap regarding temporary registration. Under central motor vehicle rules, states can permit buyers living temporarily in a city to register their vehicle there, without travelling to the RTO linked to their permanent address. For instance, a person residing in Chennai with a permanent Aadhaar address in Kanyakumari should be able to register the vehicle in Chennai. Tamil Nadu has not yet adopted this provision, causing inconvenience to many buyers.
The situation in Karur exposes the challenges in implementing well-intentioned digital governance reforms on the ground, where entrenched practices and administrative loopholes continue to burden citizens and enable corruption.
