Pune: Permit Processing Delays at Pune RTO Affect Transport Workers; MLA Siddharth Shirole Urges Govt to Resolve Pune RTO Permit Delays

Pune, 5th March 2026: Thousands of transport workers in Pune are reportedly facing difficulties obtaining or renewing vehicle permits due to administrative delays at the city’s Regional Transport Office (RTO). The matter was raised in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly by Shivajinagar MLA Siddharth Shirole of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), who urged the state government to intervene and resolve the situation at the earliest.

Shirole informed the House that routine permit approvals have been stalled after authorities discontinued the manual vehicle inspection system at the Regional Transport Office Pune. The step was taken as part of the transition to a new automated vehicle testing facility, which has yet to become operational.

Transition to Automated Testing Creates Regulatory Gap:
According to the legislator, the halt in traditional inspection procedures has created a regulatory gap, preventing transport operators from completing the formalities required to legally run their vehicles.

Until recently, vehicles seeking permits or renewals underwent physical inspection by officials. However, with the manual system suspended and the automated testing centre not yet functional, applications have reportedly begun to accumulate.

Auto, Taxi and Truck Operators Most Affected:
The delay has particularly impacted auto-rickshaw drivers, taxi operators and truck owners whose livelihoods depend on valid permits.

Without the necessary approvals, several drivers have reportedly been forced to scale back or temporarily suspend operations. The disruption has placed financial strain on many families reliant on daily earnings from the transport sector.

Shirole told the Assembly that the issue is affecting thousands of households struggling to manage expenses such as loan repayments, school fees and other daily costs while awaiting permit clearances.

To ease the situation, the MLA urged authorities to temporarily reinstate the manual inspection process until the automated testing facility becomes fully operational.

He argued that allowing the earlier system to function in the interim would help clear the growing backlog of applications and provide immediate relief to small transport operators.

Emphasising the urgency of the issue, Shirole stated that administrative transitions should not come at the cost of workers’ livelihoods and called for swift action to restore normal services at the Pune RTO.