An order of the Transport Commissioner dated February 9 providing sweeping powers to the 14 Enforcement Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) in the State and about 350 uniformed personnel under them has widely been welcomed, even as a section of officers say this can affect their primary task of enforcing road-safety rules.
As per the order, the Enforcement RTO {RTO(E)} concerned will be the convener of the District Road Safety Council in place of the RTO, who hitherto wielded this responsibility. The RTO(E) has also been authorised to suspend driving licences of erring motorists, if the need arose.
In addition, the RTO(E) (or the motor vehicle inspector (MVI) designated by him) ought to inspect vehicles involved in accidents according to the area each enforcement squad operates in – a responsibility hitherto of the RTO (or the MVI designated by him) concerned. The order comes with a caveat that all ‘administrative works’ relating to the suspension of driving licences (which the RTO(E) must henceforth do) shall continue to be carried out in the regional transport offices.
