26 December,2016 11:50 AM IST | | Shashank Rao
The Transport Department wants to keep illegal agents away and feels payments by cards and computerising their system will be the best way to implement this
The state will begin procuring the machines for all RTOs with Mumbai. File pic
In what could be the best way to do away with illegal agents, the state Transport Department is finalising the procurement of point of sale (POS) machines, that will facilitate use of debit and credit cards at RTOs. Sources said that this is being done to ensure that payments are online and the role of agents gets diminished.
As per plans the Transport Department will begin procuring POS machines for all the RTOs in the state and they will begin from Mumbai. Sources in the Maharashtra Transport Department said that they have had couple of meetings with banks, which will supply these machines to the RTOs.
These POS machines will eliminate the use of cash at the RTOs, which, for instance in Mumbai is almost 1,000 people visit everyday, for driving licences, checking and registering new vehicles, getting learners' licences, to check fitness of vehicles etc. The use of POS machines will mean that illegal agents who depend on cash transactions and charge anywhere between R1,200 and Rs 5,000 for a job, will be left with no option but to stop work.
The Transport authority has been trying to get rid of these illegal agents who operate outside RTO offices by creating ID cards, and even making it compulsory for people to write their names in a diary.
Keeping illegal agents away
"We don't want illegal agents outside RTOs and for this, the best step is to entirely computerise the system and have payment by cards. We are also looking at ensuring that all the forms and relevant papers are transferred online and people need not come to RTOs at all. They can make payment online," said Praveen Gedam, Transport Commissioner.
But sources in RTO feel that POS machines could prove disastrous as the average time taken by their staff to address a person is around 2-4 minutes depending on the nature of work, and with POS, this time will increase.
All online by 2017
The authorities are yet to identify how many windows in a single RTO will need these POS machines. In Mumbai there are four RTOs at Tardeo, Andheri, Wadala and Borivli. Moreover they will also have to ensure that people are informed about this vital change in the process.
The authorities intend to convert their work online by mid-2017. This will ensure that the rush at the RTOs will reduce drastically. The online process is underway and officials are busy transferring information onto the computers.
