YOU CAN STOP RTO agent ATTACK
Citizens prefer to pay touts for licences rather than wait in queues for the entire day
A day after DNA reported about touts plaguing the Andheri Regional Transport Office (RTO), the menace continues unabated, but it the citizens who are encouraging it.
Though it only costs Rs30 for the entire procedure, people are ready to pay the agent Rs2,000 for a driving licence and Rs1,200 for a learner's licence to skip the long queues and form-filling exercise.
"I know it is wrong to approach agents, but how else will I get my learner's licence? I do not want to waste my entire day standing in queues and I cannot afford to take a day off from work. The agent got my work done within an hour," said Ritu Pathak, a resident of Andheri Lokhandwala.
Rakesh Bhat, a bank manager, said: "The Andheri RTO is disorganised. When I had come here for the first time to get a licence, I waited from 9am to 4pm for the officer in-charge to verify my documents. He started verifying documents only after 4pm and only after I paid him Rs300. Now, when I have to renew my licence, I directly approach an agent.''
Though agents were seen roaming freely on the Andheri RTO premises on Thursday, the officials refused to admit their presence. "We have taken special efforts to stop agents from operating at our RTO. There are very few agents here," claimed a senior official at the Andheri RTO, on condition of anonymity.
AN Bhalchandran, the Andheri RTO in-charge, was unavailable for comment.
One of the agents operating at the Andheri RTO revealed that he makes nearly Rs40,000 on a regular day. "We get 60 to 70 customers every day, mostly seeking learner's licence. I also run a motoring school and most of my clients are from there," said the agent, who did not want to be identified.
Citizens prefer to pay touts for licences rather than wait in queues for the entire day
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A day after DNA reported about touts plaguing the Andheri Regional Transport Office (RTO), the menace continues unabated, but it the citizens who are encouraging it.
Though it only costs Rs30 for the entire procedure, people are ready to pay the agent Rs2,000 for a driving licence and Rs1,200 for a learner's licence to skip the long queues and form-filling exercise.
"I know it is wrong to approach agents, but how else will I get my learner's licence? I do not want to waste my entire day standing in queues and I cannot afford to take a day off from work. The agent got my work done within an hour," said Ritu Pathak, a resident of Andheri Lokhandwala.
Rakesh Bhat, a bank manager, said: "The Andheri RTO is disorganised. When I had come here for the first time to get a licence, I waited from 9am to 4pm for the officer in-charge to verify my documents. He started verifying documents only after 4pm and only after I paid him Rs300. Now, when I have to renew my licence, I directly approach an agent.''
Though agents were seen roaming freely on the Andheri RTO premises on Thursday, the officials refused to admit their presence. "We have taken special efforts to stop agents from operating at our RTO. There are very few agents here," claimed a senior official at the Andheri RTO, on condition of anonymity.
AN Bhalchandran, the Andheri RTO in-charge, was unavailable for comment.
One of the agents operating at the Andheri RTO revealed that he makes nearly Rs40,000 on a regular day. "We get 60 to 70 customers every day, mostly seeking learner's licence. I also run a motoring school and most of my clients are from there," said the agent, who did not want to be identified.
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