HYDERABAD: With massive rush at various Regional Transport Offices in the city owing to the BS-IV vehicle registration deadline inching closer, RTA officials are a jittery lot.
Since a lot of paperwork and biometrics is part of the process, RTA officials say they are afraid of “a COVID-19 outbreak in the office itself”.
“With three positive cases of Coronavirus being declared in the State, it is not safe for us to work amidst such large crowds. Some action needs to be taken for the benefit of RTA employees and the public,” said an employee at a transport office in the city.
Since March 1, 2020, nearly 1,09,919 vehicles have been registered. At the same time, Telangana has reported four cases of Coronavirus.
As an immediate step, an official at the entrance will be administering hand sanitiser to the queues of people lining up at the centres.
When an applicant enters, he/she will be given hand sanitiser. Just before submitting documents, applicants will be asked to sanitise their hands again.
In fact, at the Hyderabad RTA office, by mid-day, a large bucket of water and soap had been placed for the applicants to come in and wash their hands. Some staffers are also urging the government to get hand-held thermal screeners.
At the biometric submission, applicants are being asked to dip their thumbs in sanitiser and then press. Meanwhile, officials state that they are regulating crowds by giving them different time slots.
“We are also displaying banners and distributing pamphlets,” said C Ramesh, Joint Director from the Transport Department.