Pune: Due to lack of staffers at the Regional Transport Office (RTO), Pune, hundreds of applicants are on the waiting list for taking the driving test for the permanent licence. Also, the number of applicants is increasing day by day.
There are three centres under the RTO to provide a permanent licence to drivers. The drivers give the test for learning licence at Sangam Bridge office for two-wheelers and the permanent licence test is held at RTO Alandi. For four-wheelers, drivers’ permanent licence test is conducted at Institute of Driving Training and Research (ITDR), Bhosari.
The waiting list for learning and permanent licence for four-wheeler drivers is about two months and for two-wheelers, drivers are waiting for around one week. Earlier the applicant had to wait only for a day after the online process was initiated. However, the officials claim they do not have enough staffers to conduct the tests.
As per officials with Pune RTO, there are not enough personnel as there is shortage of vehicle inspectors at Pune RTO. “The process for the appointment is online and if an applicant gets their number after a week or the next day, we cannot do anything. They have to wait according to the date given to them online,” said a senior officer of the RTO.
Last month, the State Transport Department suspended 28 motor vehicle inspectors and nine assistant inspectors posted at regional transport offices (RTOs) across Maharashtra for issuing fitness certificates to vehicles without proper inspection. Pune had the highest number (13) of suspensions. However, the source said that due to the suspension there is a crunch of staffers who manage all the tests.
Also, the inspector-level officers are busy with the vehicle inspection and two officers are busy with the goods and carrier vehicle checking.
Sachin Nimbalkar, a resident of Hadapsar, is one of the applicants who has been visiting the Alandi RTO from past one month to get his permanent licence, but whenever he visits the RTO he is given an appointment of the next day.
“I am visiting Alandi RTO from the past one month to get my permanent licence, but every time I am told that my appointment date has been shifted to the next day,” he said. When contacted an RTO official said, “If anyone is facing such a problem they have to contact us and we will resolve the issue.”
