PERAMBALUR: With the post of motor vehicle inspector at the district’s lone Regional Transport Office (RTO) at Thanneer Pandal remaining vacant for more than two months, visitors complain of having to wait longer hours to have their various requirements addressed.
They hence demand to fill the vacancy immediately. While an inspector from Tiruchy has been deputed to the Perambalur RTO, which he visits three days a week, as an interim arrangement, visitors to the office on Tiruchy-Chennai national highway complain of him being irregular. As a result, several of them are forced to wait for hours, with some even leaving disappointed.
On Thursday alone, over 20 applicants who visited the office for obtaining a driving licence were seen waiting from 8 am to 1 pm before the inspector on deputation arrived, visitors said. According to sources, the RTO witnesses a footfall of around 50 every day, who visit for various requirements such as obtaining a driving licence, vehicle registration and fitness certificate, and for name change in documents.
While the public and driving school owners mention of having raised several complaints on the issue with the regional transport officer, they complain of a lack of action. R Kishore, a youth from Perambalur, said, "I visited the office on Thursday to obtain a driving licence. I waited for five hours as the motor vehicle inspector arrived late. I had not even consumed breakfast.
Many visitors, including me, were affected by not being able to go for work or college." I Jawahar, a private driving school owner in Perambalur, said, "The district is already allocated fewer test slots (for driving licence). Thus, many applicants are forced to wait for months before they obtain a licence. We are unable to respond to our customers as the motor vehicle inspector’s visits to the RTO are also irregular.
This will reduce our customers and affect our livelihood. A regular motor vehicle inspector should hence be appointed to the RTO immediately. Also, test slots should be increased here." When contacted, Perambalur Regional Transport Officer VS Ganesh told TNIE, "We reported the vacancy to the RTO commissioner's office. Action will be taken soon."