Maharashtra RTO Employees’ Union Announces Indefinite Strike From October 27

The Maharashtra State Motor Vehicle Department Employees’ Union has announced an indefinite strike beginning October 27, 2025, protesting the state administration’s failure to implement long-pending restructuring and promotion-related commitments.

The strike is expected to disrupt administrative operations across Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) statewide if the impasse persists.

Union Accuses Department of Ignoring Assurances

According to the union, despite repeated assurances from senior officials and intervention by Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, the department has failed to issue long-overdue promotion orders and implement the long-promised restructuring plan.

Union leaders said employees have been struggling for nearly three years to secure the implementation of the plan with retrospective effect and to fill vacant promotional positions. The employees had earlier launched a three-day agitation from October 24 to 26, 2024, compelling the administration to withdraw a controversial transfer policy. Following that protest, the then Transport Commissioner had assured the union that service rules would be finalized and promotions granted within a month — an assurance that remains unfulfilled even a year later.

Repeated Promises, No Action

In a written statement, senior union leader Vishwas Katkar said he had personally met the Transport Commissioner earlier this year and was promised that all promotion orders would be issued by September 30, 2025. “However, that commitment was not honored either,” the union said in its statement.

A virtual meeting of the union’s executive body was held on September 28, 2025, where it was unanimously decided to begin an indefinite hunger strike at the Transport Commissioner’s Office to protest against administrative inaction.

70 Employees Retired Without Promotions

“The issue also came to the attention of Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, who convened a special meeting between the union and departmental officials. During the meeting, it was revealed that over 70 employees had retired without receiving their due promotions because of bureaucratic delays,” the statement read.

The Minister reportedly rejected the administration’s justification that promotions could not be processed due to the absence of finalized service rules.

Union Confirms Strike Despite Fresh Promises

Following the meeting, the Transport Commissioner again promised that promotion orders and time-bound advancement notifications would be issued within a week. However, the union alleges that this promise too was broken.

“As a result, the Motor Vehicle Department Employees’ Union has decided to launch an indefinite strike from October 27, 2025, at the Transport Commissioner’s office premises,” the statement added. “The continued neglect of Motor Vehicle Department employees cannot be ignored any longer,” said a union leader.