No phone, furniture in new RTOs

No phone, furniture in new RTOs

The Hindu

Government has asked the officials to share manpower and facilities

# No telephone facility at new RTOs
# There is dissatisfaction among the people over the jurisdiction
# Computerised PVC driving licences soon in new RTOs.



MINIMUM FACILITIES: Employees putting files in order at one of the newly inaugurated RTOs in Bangalore. — Photo: K. Murali Kumar

BANGALORE: The five Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) at Yelahanka, Nelamangala, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Bannerghatta (Electronic City) and K.R. Puram inaugurated in August for suburbs are yet overcome teething problems.

Although they were created to ease the load on the existing five RTOs in the city, the Government has directed the new RTOs to share staff, furniture, vehicles and infrastructure without causing additional financial burden.

People who have queries regarding driving licence, registration, tax payment and so on are unable to contact the new RTOs as there is no telephone or fax connection. Halaswamy, who approached a new RTO for change of ownership, said he had to visit the office several times.

Rangarajan, an elderly person, regretted that the new RTOs did not have seating facility for the general public. As different sections are not separated with partitions in some of the offices, public can access any official and even files, he said.

Besides, names of two offices — Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Bannerghatta (Electronic City) — are either misleading or confusing. While the former is situated on Mysore Road, the latter is on Parappana Agrahara Road.

Demarcation of jurisdiction has been a concern for some. Areas such as Padmanabhanagar, Kumaraswamy Layout and Kanakapura Road, which are close to RTO South or Rajarajeshwari Nagar, are brought under Bannerghatta Road RTO and areas such as Magadi taluk and Tavarekere come under Rajarajeshwari Nagar although they are close to Nelamangala.

Despite all these shortcomings, many people express satisfaction with the work of RTO staff.

Ramanatha, who approached one of the RTOs for a driving licence, said he was happy with the patient service. Residents of Bangalore Urban district are happy on the location of the new offices as they need not travel all the way to the City now.

An officer at a new RTO said it was just like sons in a family getting partitioned. "After all, setting up a new family takes some time," he said.

Joint Transport Commissioner (Administration) C.R. Mohammed Suleiman told The Hindu that each office will get two telephone connections shortly. While furniture and vehicles are adjusted from old offices, officers have been provided with tables and chairs from the discretionary fund of the Finance Department. He said the new offices will get the facilities gradually.

Mr. Suleiman said they would issue computerised PVC driving licences soon with the help of two private firms, which are providing the facility in city RTOs.

Transport Commissioner Om Prakash told The Hindu that grievances regarding jurisdiction were being considered by a high-level committee constituted by him. He will shortly forward a proposal to the Government for alteration once the committee submits its report, Mr. Om Prakash added.