Figure this. There are 1,000 new applications for driving license and around the same number of new vehicles registered at the four Regional Transport Office of Tardeo, Andheri, Wadala and Borivli each day.
There are thousands of auto and taxis which come to get their fitness done. But the burden is on only 50 per cent of the government employees working at these RTOs due to a 50 per cent vacancy across grades at all the RTOs.
With an unprecedented growth in the vehicle population in the last 10-15 years, the number of vehicles has increased from 10.30 lakh vehicles in 2000-01 to 16 lakh vehicles in 2007-08. Until March 2017, the number of vehicles had gone up twice and now stands at over 30 lakh vehicles in the city. Across the state, these numbers are huge.
This has resulted in a substantial increase in the workload of the motor vehicle department. This has been raised by the BC Khatua Committee which studied various aspects of public transport. They highlighted the disparity in sanctioned strength and vacancies that need to be filled, which, when collated across the four RTOs, shows a 50 per cent vacancy.
"In the course of time, the Transport department has helped generate a substantial share of the state's revenue. Many states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, which have a lesser vehicle population, reportedly have a higher number of offices and officers than that of Maharashtra," states the Khatua report.
According to figures, the total vacancies across various groups and departments is 3,637 posts. Of this, most requirements are at the assistant inspector level in charge of checking vehicles, testing drivers, inspecting vehicles involved in accidents, going on field to catch motorists breaching laws and giving licences at the RTOs. At least 77 per cent of the total sanctioned strength of 1,302 posts are empty.
The unions have been complaining the lack of manpower has seen little detection of illegal operations of taxi and autos plying in the city. The report has mentioned that even commuters complain against the non-use of meters, overcharging and misconduct of drivers; which barely gets addressed as there are not enough men to do the job at the RTOs.
The Transport department officials agree that basic infrastructure like software, computers and other hardwar provided at RTOs is inadequate. The Khatua Committee has now recommended the government to fill up these vacancies within a year.
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