RTOs revive drive against auto drivers

Responding to HT’s Meter Down campaign — in which we have invited readers to register formal complaints that we will follow up on with authorities — several readers wrote to us that the Regional Transport Office’s (RTO) helpline (1800 220 100) was not functional.

Responding to HT’s Meter Down campaign — in which we have invited readers to register formal complaints that we will follow up on with authorities — several readers wrote to us that the Regional Transport Office’s (RTO) helpline (1800 220 100) was not functional.

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The state transport department on Wednesday clarified that the RTO helpline is working, but also admitted that the humber may more often than not be busy.

Kandivli resident Vishal Shelke, one of the several readers who complained about the helpline not working, wrote to HT saying:

“I have filed many complaints, but I don’t know what happens to them. The helpline is either busy or unavailable.”

“As we have only one helpline number for the entire city, on occasions there are several simultaneous calls so the helpline sends out a busy tone,” said transport commissioner VN More.

HT too called the helpline on three consecutive days. On all occasions, the helpline was working.

More said he had recently used the helpline number after a taxi driver refused his fare. “It is definitely functional. I used the helpline myself recently to complain about a taxi driver, and I got an acknowledgement for the complaint immediately.”

Responding to HT readers’ complaints that they are never notified about the action the RTO takes against errant drivers that they have complained about, More said that the complainant should approach the concerned RTO with the reference number given by the helpline to follow up.

“All callers are given reference numbers immediately after the complaint is recorded on the helpline,” he added.

The RTO helpline receives 20 to 30 complaints a day, which are forwarded to the concerned RTOs. More said the time taken to ensure action against errant drivers varies as it is dependent on the time taken by the driver to respond.

“Even if the concerned RTO sends out a letter via post to the auto driver, he might or might not respond. So the response time varies from case to case. But there is no getting away for the driver as he will be pulled up eventually when ever he visits the RTO for his vehicle’s annual fitness certificate.”