Locals feel the pinch as RTA office in Ludhiana struggles with staff crunch

The lack of personnel at the RTA office is causing inconvenience and frustration among the public, who have to stand in long queues and wait for hours even to get something as simple as a duplicate copy of their registration certificate

: The Regional Transport Authority (RTA) office in Ludhiana is currently facing a severe shortage of staff, resulting in delays and backlogs with people struggling to obtain necessary documents to complete their tasks in a timely manner.

Locals feel the pinch as RTA office in Ludhiana struggles with staff crunch

The lack of personnel at the RTA office is causing inconvenience and frustration among the public, who have to stand in long queues and wait for hours even to get something as simple as a duplicate copy of their registration certificate.

RTA secretary Poonam Preet Kaur revealed that out of the 14 sanctioned posts for clerks, only four are currently filled.

“I have raised the issue of staff shortage, particularly with regards to the shortage of clerks, to the higher authorities. I have highlighted the fact that many of the clerks are frequently going for court hearings, which is exacerbating the already challenging situation,” she said.

Additionally, there is a severe shortage of motor vehicle inspectors, with only one inspector available, who is already managing an additional charge in Hoshiarpur, against the two sanctioned posts.

Furthermore, there is a vacant post for an assistant district transport officer, for which no appointment has been made.

Due to the shortage of MVI, commercial vehicle owners are facing problems getting fitness certificates, getting permits, and registration certificates for their vehicles.

Similarly, the scarcity of clerks in the RTA office is causing delays fir individuals who visit the office to get their work done. There are only four clerks available in the RTA office, and the majority of their time is occupied with court cases, leaving them with limited capacity to attend to the needs of the public.

Ashwani Kumar, a resident of Tajpur Road said, “despite visiting the RTA office repeatedly over the past few days to obtain a duplicate copy of the registration certificate, I was unable to do so. Recently, I learned about the existence of a help desk at the office, but unfortunately, when I arrived, I found that the person on duty had gone for lunch and the clerks were attending court hearings.”

Kuldeep Singh, a manufacturer of e-rickshaw at Janta Nagar said, “For the past six months, I have been waiting to receive my trade certificate, which is causing significant difficulties for my e-rickshaw business. Despite assurances from the RTA secretary that I would receive the certificate within 24 hours, I am yet to receive it. The delay in obtaining the necessary documentation has resulted in major financial losses for my business.”

Gagandeep Singh, a former international cricketer who currently serves as a coach of the Punjab Ranji Trophy team and is a resident of Gandhi Nagar in Ludhiana, expressed his frustration with the RTA office.

He has been visiting the office for the past five months in order to obtain his registration certificate.

Despite the dealership making an online payment, he has not been provided with any clear information about the next steps in the process. Whenever he visits the office, he finds that the staff is either on strike or that the clerks are attending court hearings, leading to a situation where he has been unable to make progress in his efforts to obtain the necessary documentation