CHANDIGARH: Faceless services in all Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) have been launched across Punjab with the aim of making transport-related services more accessible and transparent to the public.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convener Arvind Kejriwal today launched the faceless RTO services, claiming that Punjab has become the first state in the country to close RTO offices and provide these services through a single helpline number, 1076.
At the very outset, the Chief Minister imposed a symbolic lock on the RTO office in Ludhiana to mark its closure under the new system.
Interacting with the media, Kejriwal alleged that post-independence, people of the state had become “slaves of the bureaucracy and their corrupt deeds”.
He claimed, “Today people are getting freedom from corruption, inconvenience and middlemen to get their work done, adding that this is happening for the first time not only in the country but also in the world too.” He said that now people will get their driving licence, registration certificate (RC) and other related services by making a single call to 1076.
Kejriwal further said that today marks a historic day for the people of Punjab as faceless RTO services are being launched in the state.
“This initiative can truly be called a digital revolution in the Transport Department as people will now get the services at their doorsteps,” he said. A total of 56 major services related to driving licences and vehicle registration certificates have been made completely faceless.
He explained that these services can be accessed through Seva Kendras or by calling the 1076 helpline. Previously, citizens had to visit cyber cafés or apply online themselves to obtain a driving licence or vehicle registration certificate.
After applying, they were required to visit RTO offices multiple times for tasks such as document verification, which caused considerable inconvenience, especially for people living in remote areas, the elderly and persons with disabilities.
He added that this not only wasted time and energy of the people but also imposed a financial burden. “Now, citizens will no longer have to visit RTO offices as these services will be provided through Seva Kendras established across Punjab, and staff at these centres has been properly trained,” he said. “Additionally, all services can be conveniently accessed from home by calling the helpline number 1076.”
Meanwhile, in his address, CM Mann said that people faced a lot of inconvenience in RTO offices and this day marks the end of that, thereby immensely benefiting the common man. He said that with this initiative, a lock has been imposed on inconvenience and corruption caused to the public.
He added that this is in line with the state government’s zero-tolerance policy against corruption. Mann said that earlier, people had been immensely benefited by revenue reforms, which had empowered citizens in a significant way.
Mann categorically stated that none of the employees will be shunted out and their services will be duly utilised by the state government in other departments as per their eligibility.
He said that contrary to the past when ribbons were cut to harass the people, now the state government is locking offices to facilitate them. He said that the government has so far closed 19 toll plazas in Punjab to ensure that the unnecessary plundering of people is checked.
He reiterated that Punjab has become the first state in the country to close RTO offices while ensuring that people receive facilities in a smooth and hassle-free manner.
He urged the public to take advantage of this major pro-people initiative of the state government, adding that in the coming days, more such digital and citizen-friendly decisions will be taken.
Mann said that during the financial year 2024–25, the Transport Department processed a total of 29,23,390 applications, of which 19,63,209 were related to vehicle registration certificates and 9,60,181 were linked to driving licence services.
He added that to efficiently handle such a large volume of applications, a new citizen-friendly model was necessary. He said that to ensure the smooth implementation of the new system, help desks have been set up at RTO offices for the first 15 days.
These desks will guide citizens on required documents and procedures under the new model. With the introduction of this system, he said that RTO offices can now focus more effectively on their core responsibilities and the overall improvement of departmental operations.
