Delhi: Fate of 13 RTO Offices Unclear as Services Go Online

Delhi’s regional transport offices (RTOs), have moved to “faceless” transactions after 12 of its most transaction-heavy driving licences and registration certificate services have entirely moved online. This happened in the third week of February. The department eventually intends to take the number of services provided to 70. This will exclude the driving test, as the same needs to be done physically. While this may seem to be great news for many as they can do their RTO-related work, from home, the same may not be the case for the people working in these offices.

Since everything will soon be switching to online mode, there will be no need for 13 RTO offices in Delhi. According to a report published in The Times of India, the department will be carrying out a plot and site survey to decide the future of the offices. A source close to the department told TOI, “Eventually, only the automated driving test tracks will remain operational and there wouldn’t be a need for an RTO building. When all the services are accessible from the comfort of your home, why would anyone need to come to the RTO?”

Furthermore, the person also revealed that in place of 13 RTOs there will be small zonal offices for central, north, south, east, and west. These offices will be for those people who are having difficulty with the online process or are unable to access it.

Ashish Kundra, principal secretary-cum-commissioner (transport), mentioned that the main idea is to ensure that there are progressive people-centric reforms. He added that currently, everything is undergoing the testing, stabilisation, and rollout phase of the faceless services, process.

The officer has also opined that it will be unfair to believe that the RTOs will vanish. He said, “I don’t think it’s fair to imagine that these offices will vanish. There will be some reorientation of roles as we proceed. We have been able to do something disruptive in this area because we are carrying out process re-engineering side by side with technology and people re-engineering.”

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