Abhijith N Kolpe

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru Jun 13: Severe staff shortage at Mangaluru Regional Transport Office has drastically affected work. One of the busiest RTO in the state, Mangaluru RTO receives around 2000 applications daily for registration, license, NOC, permit and other categories. However, the smooth functioning lies on the shoulders of its 30 staff, who are trying to finish the workload of 98 staff, the total posts sanctioned at the Mangaluru RTO.

In a matter of fact, the RTO has no permanent RTO officer since the last three years. The post is managed by other officers, who are deputed as in-charge of the RTO office.

There are 6 senior inspectors while sanctioned posts are seven, 3 inspectors working while there needs to be 12. RTO and Assistant RTO posts are lying vacant since three years. There are 13 sanctioned posts for first division assistant but only 5 are working, while there are 33 sanctioned posts for second division assistant but only 6 are employed. Three superintendents are sanctioned but one superintendent is handling five sections at Mangaluru RTO. While there is a requirement of two treasury officers, only one is doing the job.

In-charge Senior RTO John Misquith says, "The shortage of staff has hampered our work from several years like checking of vehicles and other office works. This is not only the problem of Mangaluru RTO, but problems of every RTO in the state. There was no fresh recruitment for new RTO office which has opened at Melkar, instead few staff of Mangaluru RTO have been deputed at Melkar RTO. An in-charge officer is handling ARTO post in Mangaluru at the same time he is the RTO officer of Udupi, so he has to manage both simultaneously,”

"Government is striving hard to recruit people for the vacant posts. They may bring some changes in the policies and are hoping to recruit staff by the end of this year. Due to the shortage of staff, files have piled up and every officer is burdened with work in an understaffed office,” adds John Misquith.

“For a good administration, the basic principle is to have enough staff, so that they can provide good customer service. But we lack 60 per cent staff and still work hard to ensure people in Mangaluru are not affected. Despite staff shortage, we have least number of pendency works and some officer’s work on priority basis, even crossing their assigned timings to ensure work is delivered on time. Mangaluru RTO has huge footfall and almost every individual owns a vehicle on an average. Transport department is the third highest revenue booster department in the state,” says Misquith.

Giving an example of the challenges faced, Misquith says “To search a 10- year-old vehicle records in our record room, we don’t have attendant in this office while actually 8 attendants are sanctioned. We take help of security, home guards to search the records which take a lot of time. But we make sure each and every work goes smooth in favour of Mangaluru citizens.”

Superintendent of Mangaluru RTO Chandralaka is the only superintendent who is handling five sections at a time. “There has to be three superintendents but I am the lone superintendent working. We work under pressure. We require two auditors, 1 treasury officer, six attendants but the posts are left vacant. It’s very hard to get even one minute free time. We receive at least 2000 applications per day including registration, renewal of license, LLR, DLR, NOC and many more," she says.