Even after taking digital highway, middlemen continue to thrive at RTOs

When the Transport Department introduced e-payment facilities for vehicle registration, driving licence, vehicle permit and fitness certificate last October, it was considered to be a significant move to eliminate the ubiquitous middlemen – agents – and other irregularities that plagued the Regional Transport Offices across the State. However, as is clear within just three months, the middlemen, too, have successfully adapted to the new system without any signs of delay.

From last year, the RTOs have stopped receiving any application in physical form. “We have started accepting only online applications, a process that was introduced after combining ‘Vahan’ and ‘Sarathi’ applications. Applicants visit the RTOs only to appear for the test and during the verification of vehicles. Apart from it, we have migrated fully towards digital transaction to enhance transparency,” said a senior official from the State Transport Department.

But soon after the transition, Anand S (48), a city-based driving school owner, who is part of the network of operators active at RTOs for decades, made a rather simple move: appoint two youngsters who could operate computers. According to him, except for the way of functioning hardly anything has changed at these offices despite the new initiative.

“I am in the business for the past 20 years. As we are the most crucial link in the chain connecting the general public with the authorities, the system will always remain in our favour,” he said. If anything, it has only eased their functioning. Earlier, they had to crisscross the RTOs to get the work done. But now it is all done at the tap on the screen, he added.

Even though the transport offices are accepting applications only through online now to keep those like him away, the public is still dependent on such middlemen. This is because of the cumbersome procedure that has to be followed for every task at RTOs, said Anand.

The ordeal that Reshma Nair, a software professional, who shifted from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala to Chennai two months ago, lends credence to this. All that she wanted to do after moving capitals was a simple request to change the address in her driving licence.

The RTO officials gave her an outline of the online process. “As per that, I tried downloading forms and uploading documents for a fortnight.” After multiple attempts, she managed to cancel the licence containing the Kerala address, but was unable to upload the document required for receiving the licence with the present address. Finally, she sought help of a driving school, only to find out that the whole process could be finished in 10 minutes on payment of Rs 2,500.

“The driving school person was quick and was an expert in the process. He completed everything in just a day,” she recalled. This despite Reshma being tech savvy; perhaps more adept than an average person with digital literacy because of her professional background. This may make clear the struggle that the common man has to go through.

A recent report by the Digital Empowerment Foundation said that while 30 per cent of the population lacked basic literacy, the number was thrice as much when it came to digital literacy. Though three years have passed since the Centre launched Digital India to empower the citizen, the delay in infrastructure development, bandwidth availability, personal computer penetration and the capacity to scale has stunted its progress.

“A good majority of the public are not familiar with the online process; I have my men who can take care of their needs,” added Anand. Rakesh, another agent, pointed out they have not increased their service charge, keeping it at a nominal level. “Now extra charges are levied for scanning and uploading documents,” he added.

According to the senior official quoted above, it is only those without access to internet who would visit cyber cafes and agents to carry out the online process.

Section 211 (A) of the Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill of 2017 envisages computerising services, including issuing of licences or permits, filing of forms or application, receipt of money: “Where any provision of this Act or the rules and regulations made there under provide for — (a) the filing of any form, application or any other document with any office, authority, body or agency owned or controlled by the Central Government or the State Government in a particular manner; (b) the issue or grant of any licence, permit, sanction, approval or endorsement, by whatever name called in a particular manner; (c) the receipt or payment of money in a particular manner, then notwithstanding anything contained in such provision, such requirement shall be deemed to have been satisfied if such filing, issue, grant, receipt or payment, as the case may be, is effected by means of such electronic form as may be prescribed by the Central Government or the State Government, as the case may be.”