Pune: The indefinite strike initiated by employees of the Motor Vehicle Department has entered its third day, leading to a complete suspension of services at Pune’s Regional Transport Office (RTO).
The strike, which began on September 24, has paralyzed critical functions such as the issuance of new vehicle licenses, vehicle registration, license renewal, address changes, and vehicle ownership transfers.
With nearly 75 employees joining the protest, the office's daily operations have come to a grinding halt.
Citizens who rely on the RTO for essential services are facing significant delays, with over 1,000 applications typically processed at the Pune office daily.
Services have been severely disrupted, and people needing urgent assistance are left in the lurch. The help desk at the RTO office is often found unmanned, adding to the frustrations of visitors who come hoping to resolve their issues.
In the midst of this chaos, intermediaries, often referred to as “agents,” have taken advantage of the situation. These individuals are openly exploiting the strike by promising to process citizens' requests for inflated fees.
Many frustrated citizens, unable to complete their work through official channels, have fallen prey to these intermediaries. The agents are reportedly charging exorbitant sums to get the work done through unofficial means, while government work remains at a standstill.
Complaints from citizens suggest that the intermediaries continue to operate freely, with little intervention from senior officials at the RTO.
The strike stems from unresolved demands by the employees of the Motor Vehicle Department, who have been pushing for several reforms.
The state government has yet to address these demands, resulting in the continued shutdown of services.
Jagdish Kande, State Executive President of the Motor Vehicle Employees Union, stated, "Our strike will continue until the government meets our demands. On a normal day, the Pune RTO processes more than 1,200 applications, but all operations are currently suspended."