By Arfat Khan
REASI: Premature transfer of an officer in Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) merely to adjust one blue eyed officer has resulted in burgeoning problems for public at large in Assistant Regional Transport office, Reasi.
This office has been rendered functionless for past one month as the National Informatic Centre (NIC) has disabled the VAHAN password of the incumbent aggrieved ARTO who managed stay from Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).
As per sources, the transport department vide order No 35-JK(TR) of 2020 dated 27/7/2020 has ordered posting of Rajesh Gupta as ARTO Reasi by effecting premature transfer of ARTO Romesh Kumar Samotra from Reasi to Kishtwar which was lying headless for past several months.
“Rajesh Gupta who is considered favourite of Transport Commissioner as well as RTO Jammu prior to his transfer was posted in Board of Inspection in RTO, Jammu” sources reveals.
Aggrieved over his premature transfer, the incumbent ARTO immediately managed stayed from CAT with status quo and since then the general public is suffering due to indifferent attitude of transport authority.
Several works worth 64 lakhs revenue transactions pertaining to issuance of driving license, registration of vehicles, route permit fees etc are pending since 28 July as the authority has disabled the password of the aggrieved ARTO, reveals sources.
Astonisghly, the authority choose to order premature transfer of ARTO Reasi merely to adjust their one favourite but prefers to remain blind towards the ARTO Udhampur Rachana Sharma over tenure against whom the public has also levelled serious allegations of corruption for issuance of driving licence.
In effecting premature transfer of ARTO Reasi, the Commissioner Secretary Transport Department, Hirdesh Kumar was kept in dark by a corrupt coteree comprised middle echelon officers of TD in secretariat and some corrupt officers of MVD, revealed reliable sources.
Now, the Reasi District have two ARTOs, one is sitting with stay in the office while the other as guest in DC Reasi complex. But, our works are struck as both are sitting idle since August, complained Ashish Kumar.
The post of ARTO Kishtwar was lying vacant for past several months whereas, the incumbent in Udhampur is sitting merrily with over stay but despite knowing all this still the authority prefer to pick ARTO Reasi and order his pre mature transfer to Kishtwar paving way for adjustment of a blue eyed officer from Jammu, said one officer who is posted in secretariat.
When contacted, Pardeep Kumar Transport Commissioner UT J&K said ” Transfer of ARTO is the domain of administrative Deptt and TC office have no role in it”
Whereas, Dhanetar Singh, RTO Jammu, in an effort to cover up the mess prevailing in ARTO Reasi on account of premature transfer clarifies” Till date there is no pendency in ARTO office Reasi and VAHAN password of ARTO is active”
However, sources in National Informatic Centre (NIC) confirmed that the password of incumbent ARTO Romesh Kumar Samotra was disabled on the instruction of Transport department and till date transactions worth more than Rs 60 lakhs revenue are pending for approval.