Kalyan: Commuters, vehicle owners and transport operators faced major inconvenience on Thursday after employees at the Kalyan Regional Transport Office (RTO) launched an indefinite strike over their long-pending demands, severely disrupting day-to-day operations and bringing almost all public-facing services to a halt.
Essential Services Affected
The strike has affected a wide range of essential services, including vehicle registration, driving licence renewal, ownership transfer, issuance and renewal of auto-rickshaw permits, and several other administrative processes. As a result, hundreds of citizens visiting the RTO office every day have been forced to return without completing their work.
Long queues were witnessed outside the office as applicants waited for updates, while many expressed frustration over repeated delays in availing basic transport-related services. The disruption is expected to impact not only individual vehicle owners but also commercial transport operators who rely on timely approvals and documentation.
Auto Unions Concerned
The ongoing agitation has also drawn concern from various auto-rickshaw unions, which have urged the Maharashtra government and senior transport authorities to intervene immediately and initiate dialogue with the protesting employees. Union representatives said prolonged disruption of RTO services would adversely affect thousands of drivers, transport businesses and the general public.
The striking employees maintained that the protest would continue until the government takes a positive decision on their pending demands. They alleged that repeated representations made over the past several months have failed to yield any concrete response, leaving them with no option but to resort to an indefinite strike.
Department's Assurance
Despite the agitation, the Transport Department has assured citizens that efforts are being made to minimise inconvenience. According to officials, senior officers have been assigned additional responsibilities to ensure that essential services continue wherever possible.
Speaking to The Free Press Journal Ashutosh Barkul, Deputy Regional Transport Officer Kalyan said Responsibilities have been assigned to officers in place of the striking employees, and every possible effort is being made to resolve the issues of vehicle owners. We are ensuring that citizens receive assistance to the maximum extent possible despite the ongoing strike."
With no breakthrough reported so far, uncertainty continues over when normal functioning at the Kalyan RTO will resume. Citizens and transport associations are now hoping for an early resolution through discussions between the employees and the state government to restore uninterrupted public services.
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