Date:19/08/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/08/19/stories/2005081920970300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

New regional transport office opened in city

Staff Reporter

Four more to come up at Bannerghatta, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Nelamangala and Yelahanka

TO SERVE VEHICLE OWNERS BETTER: The new Regional Transport Office at Krishnarajapuram in Bangalore. — Photo: K. Murali Kumar

BANGALORE: To cater to the increasing vehicular population, the Transport Department has planned five new Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) in the city. The first of these was formally inaugurated on Thursday by the Minister for Water Resources and Transport, M. Mallikarjun Kharge, at Bhattarahalli near Krishnarajapuram on the city's outskirts.

Four more RTOs would soon be inaugurated in Bannerghatta, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Nelamangala and Yelahanka. Besides, two offices of Assistant RTOs would be upgraded to RTOs at Puttur in Mangalore and Yadgir in Gulbarga district, Mr. Kharge announced at a function here.

Mr. Kharge said the department had generated revenue of Rs. 929 crores in the last financial year, exceeding the target of Rs. 850 crores. In the current year, it had collected Rs. 350 crores in the first quarter against the target of Rs. 313 crores.

The Minister announced that the Government had launched a Rs. 130-crore project to provide building infrastructure to several revenue-generating offices of the excise, commercial tax departments and RTOs. Of the 53 RTOs in the State, only few had their own offices. Even the Krishnarajapuram RTO would operate from a private rented building for the moment, he said.

The Ministry had sought the Finance Department's approval to raise money for the project from financial institutions. "We could repay the loan through commercial establishments who would be given space in the buildings," he explained.

He said part of the money would also be used to build driving tracks and computerise the RTOs. At present, only 13 RTOs were computerised. "The remaining RTOs will also be computerised so that everyone gets smart cards for driving licences," he said.

He said the Congress-led coalition Government was capable of keeping all its promises. "The party High Command too has assured its support. The All India Congress Committee general secretary, Antony, while reviewing the work of the Government, also looked into how far the common minimum programme was being implemented and wanted to add strength to the State," he said.

Mr. Kharge said his Government was committed to keep all promises made to the people. But if anyone was against it "they should hold themselves responsible for it," he said and added that the policy should be "Do good and leave it at that."