Pune RTA grants 180-day extension to lapsed LOIs

The move follows directions from the transport commissioner, Maharashtra, to RTOs across the state to halt the issuance of new autorickshaw permits

Thousands of aspiring autorickshaw and taxi operators in Pune can breathe easy, now that the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) Pune covering Pune city, Pimpri-Chinchwad, and Baramati has decided to extend the validity of the letters of intent (LOIs) which had lapsed following a statewide freeze on new autorickshaw permits.

Separately, the RTA also addressed a long-pending grievance among existing autorickshaw permit holders awaiting vehicle-replacement approvals. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

The decision was taken on Wednesday to bring relief to permit holders struggling to complete vehicle-replacement formalities via revised deadlines and a partial waiver of late fees.

The move follows directions from the transport commissioner, Maharashtra, to regional transport offices (RTOs) across the state to halt the issuance of new autorickshaw permits. As a result, several applicants who had already been issued LOIs valid for 180 days had found their documents lapsing before they could register a new vehicle. To address this, the RTA has now granted a one-time, 180-day extension to all such LOIs that had expired on or after January 9, 2026, provided the applicant seeks the extension before September 30, 2026. A similar relief has been extended to those who had submitted registration applications by March 9, 2026 but were left without a registration number even after their LOI lapsed. The decision is aimed at ensuring that genuine applicants are not penalised for delays caused by the permit freeze, and that the extension gives them a fair window to complete pending registrations.

Separately, the RTA also addressed a long-pending grievance among existing autorickshaw permit holders awaiting vehicle-replacement approvals. “Permit holders whose replacement window had closed on or before June 30, 2026, will now be allowed to secure their LOI by paying a reduced penalty of ₹100 per month (up to June 30, 2026) and complete registration of the replacement vehicle by December 31, 2026. Those whose replacement window fell between July 1 and August 31, 2026 have been given the same December 31 deadline but without any late fee. In both cases, failure to complete registration within the stipulated period will result in the permit being treated as cancelled,” said Archana Gaikwad, Pune regional transport officer. For permit holders seeking vehicle replacement after September 1, 2026, the RTA has fixed a standard one-time window of six months from the date of grant, extendable to a maximum of one year, beyond which the permit will be deemed cancelled and placed before the authority for formal cancellation.