Pune: New RTO Software Causes Delays in Vehicle Transfers, Motorists’ Body Raises Concerns
Pune, 5th August 2026: A newly introduced computerised system rolled out by Maharashtra’s Transport Department to streamline vehicle transfers and other Regional Transport Office (RTO) services has instead led to delays and technical glitches, leaving vehicle owners and agents struggling to complete routine transactions.
The Maharashtra State Motor Vehicle Owners and Drivers’ Association has complained to the Transport Commissioner, alleging that the new software has slowed down processing and created hurdles in vehicle transfer cases. A delegation of the association also met Pune Regional Transport Officer Archana Gaikwad and submitted a memorandum highlighting the issues.
Association president Dr Baba Shinde said that under the earlier system, multiple services—such as vehicle ownership transfer and removal of hypothecation (loan endorsement)—could be processed simultaneously. “The new system allows only one transaction at a time. A process that earlier took 10 to 15 days may now take up to two months,” he claimed.
The association also pointed to location-based issues in the software. According to Shinde, vehicle transfer applications are being rejected due to incorrect PIN code validation, even when the buyer resides within the Pune RTO jurisdiction, including Pimpri Chinchwad. He further alleged that applications are also rejected if the buyer’s rental agreement is from another district.
Another major concern, the association said, is the mandatory Aadhaar-based verification. Unlike the Sarathi portal, which allows driving licence applications without Aadhaar, the new vehicle transfer system requires Aadhaar authentication. If the name or address on the Aadhaar card does not exactly match the vehicle registration records, the application is rejected.
Shinde said correcting names in RTO records is a lengthy process, while address corrections are often not permitted, effectively bringing many vehicle transfer applications to a standstill. He also claimed that transfers are not being processed if the Aadhaar address belongs to another district.
Regional Transport Officer Archana Gaikwad acknowledged that the new system is facing technical issues. She said the problems have been reported to the Transport Commissioner through official correspondence and were also raised during a recent departmental meeting.
“The matter is being actively pursued and efforts are underway to resolve the technical issues,” Gaikwad said.
The association warned that the glitches have disrupted not only vehicle transfers but also several routine RTO services, affecting government revenue and causing inconvenience to the public. It has urged the Transport Commissioner to resolve the issues at the earliest.
