AHMEDABAD: The functioning of Regional Transport Offices (RTO) across Gujarat was hit on Monday as inspectors and sub-inspectors launched a two-day protest over their demands including transfers and promotions.
On the first day of the protest, employees declared a 'No Log In Day, ' effectively shutting down all operations.
As a result, applicants visiting RTO offices across the state faced difficulties even as the department tried to run skeletal services with a handful of employees.
In addition to day-to-day work, the protest also affected election-related and road safety tasks, which have now been postponed.
According to sources, a mass casual leave (CL) has been planned for Tuesday by the agitating transport depart employees.
A representative of the protestors said that the demand for transfers and promotions by RTO inspectors and sub-inspectors has been pending for a long time, leading to growing frustration among employees.
The agitation has aggravated the problems of public who often face difficulties at RTO due to frequent server failures.
The RTOs play a pivotal role in enforcing the Motor Vehicles Act and ensuring the smooth regulation of the state's transportation system.
Their primary functions include vehicle registration, issuance and renewal of driving licences, collection of motor vehicle taxes, conducting mechanical inspections to certify vehicle fitness, and granting permits for commercial operations.
Additionally, RTOs are responsible for implementing road safety measures and maintaining comprehensive databases of registered vehicles and licensed drivers.
Till the end of fiscal year 2020, Gujarat had over 26 million registered vehicles, reflecting the state's significant vehicular population. To manage this, the state is divided into 38 RTOs and ARTOs.