Bhadrak: The Bhadrak regional transport office (RTO) has so far collected Rs 1.5 crore from traffic rules violators since the implementation of the new Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019 started March 1. So far 243 driving licenses have also been cancelled.
According to information available, between September 1, 2019 and February 28, 2020, a total of 6,279 learners’ licenses, 5,094 drivers’ licenses and 3,992 pollution certificates were issued. Sixty two vehicle owners got their registrations renewed.
Even after 11 days since the implementation of the new act, the RTO here has been witnessing huge numbers of applicants who are gathering to get proper documentation of their vehicles to avoid being penalised.
Two-wheeler owners who still haven’t got their documents done, said that they are keeping their vehicles at home and commuting through public means of transport. Similar is the case with auto-rickshaws. Those without papers (a normal case in this district) have stopped plying on the roads fearing hefty fines. So vehicular movement on the roads has decreased considerably, but in the process commuter woes have increased.
A large number of residents of this town have welcomed the strict implementation of the act. At the same time, some are also opposing the move.
“Awareness campaigns should be organised by the government to educate the people about the new rules. Also in every block there should be a branch of the RTO so that vehicle owners can get the documents processed quickly,” they observed.
When asked, the chief of the Bhadrak RTO, Biranchi Narayan Adhikari said that because of shortage of staff, process of documentation was not happening quickly. “We are carrying out checking and preparation of documents simultaneously. We are even coming to office on holidays so that people are not inconvenienced,” he said. “If we had more staff, we would have certainly opened a few more RTOs at various blocks,” he added.
PNN
