The transport department has decided that a clutch of services, which required visiting the offices of the regional transport authority (RTA), will be available online and keep a check on the touts.
Some of the services that will be offered online include cancellation of hypothecation of vehicles, change of address and ownership of vehicles, learning licenses and applying for fancy registration numbers for cars. (See box)
“We want to ensure faster delivery of services to people with specific timelines so that the waiting time is significantly reduced and people don’t have to take the trouble of turning up physically at the offices,” said transport minister Senhasis Chakraborty.
“Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has been insisting on people-friendly steps to ensure faster delivery of services. This is a step towards the same goal,” he added.
Senior officials in the department said the online services would be made available within a month after the loose ends were tied up and all offices of the RTAs were connected with a central server.
Most of the services that would be made available online will have a delivery timeline varying between a fortnight to a month, officials said.
“The process of changing the registration of a vehicle either from commercial to private or vice versa can now be done online after submitting the relevant documents in a given format,” said a senior official. “The new registration certificate will be provided within three days.”
The decision of the transport department to bring more services online stems from the complaints that a section of users have lodged with senior officials of the department alleging how most services take indefinite time forcing them to seek help from touts who flock to the transport department offices.
Senior officials admitted that a section of touts would often charge through the nose to those who often land up after failing to make any headway with their applications.
“Online services would do away with such harassments and even make officials accountable for delivering services on time,” the official said.
To begin with, those who are not conversant with the process of online applications in the suburbs could seek support from officials at the government help desks at BanglaSahayata Kendras.
“After an initial assessment of how the online service system is working we will come together to assess and rectify a few things if required,” Chakraborty said.
“The state government is committed to ensuring hassle-free services.”
Senior officials said experts in the field of connectivity have been brought onboard to develop a glitch-free system and make it user-friendly with enough drop boxes and clear messages so that it is easy to understand and operate.
1 dead as truck falls on car
The truck being removed from the accident site on Saturday
The son of the councillor of Ward No. 79 died in Katapukur Lane in Khidderpore’s Babubazar when a truck loaded with fertiliser fell on the car he was driving on Saturday night.
Ramkinkar Ram, the son of councillor Ram Pyare Ram, in his 30s, was returning home when the accident happened.
Police said he was declared dead at a hospital.
The police said the fallen lorry was removed from on top of the car with a crane.
The cops said the lorry was trying to move past the car while negotiating a pool of water on the road when it overturned.