In an alarming situation, as many as 10 out of 15 Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) in Maharashtra are currently without in-charge officers. Moreover, out of 35 deputy RTOs, eleven are without in-charge officers, reports stated.
In many places, junior officers have been given additional charge of these vacant posts, said state Transport Department sources.
RTOs and deputy RTOs come under the Maharashtra Motor Vehicle Department (MMVD) which is controlled by the Transport Commissioner's office.
Thousands of people visit across all RTOs in Maharashtra every day for work related to vehicle registration, driving licenses and vehicle permits, among other things.
The absence of in-charge officers is causing delays, resulting in significant inconvenience for the public, and also encouraging corruption.
Notably, the transport portfolio has been with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for the last 10 months.
The posts of Regional Transport Officer (also abbreviated as RTO) are vacant at Andheri (Mumbai West), Wadala (Mumbai East), Panvel, Kolhapur, Nashik, Dhule, Aurangabad, Nagpur Rural, Nagpur City and Latur.
Deputy RTOs are holding additional charge of the RTO post at the same office, or at the nearest regional office in the same city.
The offices at Tardeo (Mumbai Central), Thane, Pune, Amravati and Nanded have full-time in-charge officers.
In Aurangabad, Nagpur Rural and Latur, the additional charge has been given to junior officers posted at Jalna, Gadchiroli and Osmanabad deputy RTO offices, respectively.
In deputy RTO offices like Kalyan, Sindhudurg, Beed, Wardha, Hingoli and Baramati, the additional charge has been given to junior officers of the assistant regional transport officer rank, sources said.
Even at the Transport Commissioner's office, joint transport commissioner Jitendra Patil is holding additional charge of three posts: additional transport commissioner, joint transport commissioner (road safety) and deputy transport commissioner (encroachment-II). His office has five posts of deputy transport commissioners, and presently only one of them is filled.
The reason for vacancies was delayed promotions. The vacancies at the top level has led to increased pendency of work besides encouraging corruption and allowing agents a free rein, said another official.
A deputy RTO, who is holding additional charge of another senior post for several years, noted that as per the rules, an additional charge can be assigned for a maximum of six months, but in his department, he as well as many of his colleagues are holding such charge for years.
Beyond six months, officers do not receive the stipulated additional 10 per cent pay for taking additional responsibilities.
MMVD used to have 10 to 15 per cent vacancies earlier, but the situation has become "alarming" now as additional charge of almost 50-60 per cent top posts has been given to junior officers, a former official shared.
The MMVD has over 4,100 posts, and the government has approved the creation of more than 440 new posts including five posts of joint transport commissioner.
Share
Tweet
