Regional Tormentor’s Office
With 5,000 footfalls daily and Rs 5 cr annual income, the highest among RTOs in the State, one would expect Ahmedabad RTO to provide decent facilities to people. But it lacks even basic facilities
If you plan to visit the Ahmedabad Regional Transport Office (RTO) at Sabarmati this season, be prepared to endure a day’s wait standing in the sun. Also, carry a bottle of water and be prepared to hold the bladder. Hundreds visiting the RTO for High Security Registration Number plates are forced to brave the sun for at least 3-4 hours because of lack of proper seating arrangement.
As if that is not enough trouble, the urinals were dirty and drinking water facility inadequate. The parking lot is jam-packed with vehicles seized by the RTO forcing visitors to park their vehicles on the main road and walk to the building in the blazing heat. On Tuesday, visitors had to deal with mercury shooting up to 44 °C — the highest in past two years. With 5,000 footfalls daily and Rs 5 crore annual income, the highest among RTOs in the State, one would expect Ahmedabad RTO to provide good facilities to people. But it lacks even the basic facilities and those that exist are in a bad shape.
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The area allocated for HSRP fitting is in an urgent need of a shed that has not been built for the past four years. Deepak Pandey (45), resident of Ravi Apartment, Vadaj said, “I spent three hours for HSRP fitting, half of which is spent inside office for procedural formalities and the other half for fitting the HSRP. The experience was horrible as the heat is extreme and there is no protection from the oppressive.”
Motera resident Jagruti Jhala (35), spent hours to get the HSRP fitted on her old two-wheeler and found the experience agonizing. “I spent four hours to replace my number plate with an HSRP in 44 degrees temperature. Who will come here if there is no protection from heat? I even met RTO officials and asked them reasons for such poor facilities, but they had no answers.” An HSRP staffer told Mirror, “We have submitted several requests to set up a shed here. The RTO had even approved a shed two years ago but the wait for it has been endless. We too face problems working in this heat but there is no respite.”
Lack of seating facilities
On Friday too, when the city recorded 44°C temperature, the scene was no different. Since there are no seating arrangements for visitors, an average of 100 persons were seated on the floor while the rest stood, some inside and some out in the sun. To make it worse, the fans are not working either. Jitendrasinh Vaghela (37), resident of Makarba, said, “I came here to renew my licence but the staff went for lunch when my turn came up and so I have been waiting here. There are no chairs for a visitor to sit and one is forced to stand. It is shameful that people who come here are forced to sit on the ground.”
No parking for visitors
Whatever parking space the RTO has, has been jammed by vehicles seized by RTO for breach of traffic rules. As many as 25 buses and several other vehicles have been parked in the parking space leaving visitors to fend for themselves. Shahibaug resident Sanjay Raval (50) was at the RTO for vehicle transfer. “There was no space for parking my car and I moved around in circles to find a parking space in the premises. I believe that the RTO must be public friendly and ensure that people who come here have basic facilities.”
Urinals dirty, drinking water facility inadequate
Talk of Swachchta Abhiyan and toilets, even those for women at the RTO are unclean. Geeta Shah (56), a resident of Paldi said, “I came here for the first time for registration of my daughter’s four-wheeler. I found the toilets extremely dirty and not cleaned for a long time. I prefer not using one rather than use such toilets.” There are just two taps fitted for drinking water and no glasses. The large number of daily visitors have to stand in queues and drink water from their cupped hands. An RO plant lies unused in a corner here.
Fire safety measures needed
Fire safety at the campus is inadequate and a lot of records in offices and store rooms will perish in case of a major fire. Regional Transport Officer SP Muniya said, “I have just taken charge of the RTO and am aware of lack of a few facilities here. I will ensure that is a proper drinking water facility and that the RO plant is working. Will also deal with the problem of building a shed soon after checking with the HSRP division and ensure that it is people friendly. The problem of parking due to vehicle seizure will be dealt with in six months so that people can park their vehicles.”
As if that is not enough trouble, the urinals were dirty and drinking water facility inadequate. The parking lot is jam-packed with vehicles seized by the RTO forcing visitors to park their vehicles on the main road and walk to the building in the blazing heat. On Tuesday, visitors had to deal with mercury shooting up to 44 °C — the highest in past two years. With 5,000 footfalls daily and Rs 5 crore annual income, the highest among RTOs in the State, one would expect Ahmedabad RTO to provide good facilities to people. But it lacks even the basic facilities and those that exist are in a bad shape.
Read Also
Gujarat model of education is not A1
The area allocated for HSRP fitting is in an urgent need of a shed that has not been built for the past four years. Deepak Pandey (45), resident of Ravi Apartment, Vadaj said, “I spent three hours for HSRP fitting, half of which is spent inside office for procedural formalities and the other half for fitting the HSRP. The experience was horrible as the heat is extreme and there is no protection from the oppressive.”
Motera resident Jagruti Jhala (35), spent hours to get the HSRP fitted on her old two-wheeler and found the experience agonizing. “I spent four hours to replace my number plate with an HSRP in 44 degrees temperature. Who will come here if there is no protection from heat? I even met RTO officials and asked them reasons for such poor facilities, but they had no answers.” An HSRP staffer told Mirror, “We have submitted several requests to set up a shed here. The RTO had even approved a shed two years ago but the wait for it has been endless. We too face problems working in this heat but there is no respite.”
Who will come to the RTO if there is no protection from heat? I even met RTO officials and asked them the reasons for such poor facilities, but they had no answer
-Jagruti Jhala, Motera resident
-Jagruti Jhala, Motera resident
Ispent 3 hours at the RTO. The experience was horrible as the heat is extreme and there is no protection from it
-Deepak Pandey, Vadaj resident
-Deepak Pandey, Vadaj resident
Lack of seating facilities
On Friday too, when the city recorded 44°C temperature, the scene was no different. Since there are no seating arrangements for visitors, an average of 100 persons were seated on the floor while the rest stood, some inside and some out in the sun. To make it worse, the fans are not working either. Jitendrasinh Vaghela (37), resident of Makarba, said, “I came here to renew my licence but the staff went for lunch when my turn came up and so I have been waiting here. There are no chairs for a visitor to sit and one is forced to stand. It is shameful that people who come here are forced to sit on the ground.”
People are seated on the floor as there is no seating arrangement; there are no glasses to drink water
Whatever parking space the RTO has, has been jammed by vehicles seized by RTO for breach of traffic rules. As many as 25 buses and several other vehicles have been parked in the parking space leaving visitors to fend for themselves. Shahibaug resident Sanjay Raval (50) was at the RTO for vehicle transfer. “There was no space for parking my car and I moved around in circles to find a parking space in the premises. I believe that the RTO must be public friendly and ensure that people who come here have basic facilities.”
Urinals dirty, drinking water facility inadequate
Talk of Swachchta Abhiyan and toilets, even those for women at the RTO are unclean. Geeta Shah (56), a resident of Paldi said, “I came here for the first time for registration of my daughter’s four-wheeler. I found the toilets extremely dirty and not cleaned for a long time. I prefer not using one rather than use such toilets.” There are just two taps fitted for drinking water and no glasses. The large number of daily visitors have to stand in queues and drink water from their cupped hands. An RO plant lies unused in a corner here.
Fire safety measures needed
Fire safety at the campus is inadequate and a lot of records in offices and store rooms will perish in case of a major fire. Regional Transport Officer SP Muniya said, “I have just taken charge of the RTO and am aware of lack of a few facilities here. I will ensure that is a proper drinking water facility and that the RO plant is working. Will also deal with the problem of building a shed soon after checking with the HSRP division and ensure that it is people friendly. The problem of parking due to vehicle seizure will be dealt with in six months so that people can park their vehicles.”
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