Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Dec 12: Even after five years since the announcement of a new Regional Transport Office (RTO) for Surathkal, the proposal remains on paper, causing mounting pressure on the existing Mangaluru RTO office.
Mangaluru city is expanding rapidly in two directions — towards Surathkal in the north and Ullal-Thokkottu in the south — both growing at a pace comparable to a mini-Mangaluru. Considering this development, plans for a separate RTO office for the Surathkal region were initiated five years ago. Though the KA-62 vehicle registration code was officially announced, the RTO project has not moved forward since.
The Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) was divided into Zone-1 and Zone-2 for administrative convenience and to improve public services, benefiting residents in taxation, file processing, and civic facilities. Nearly 30–35% of vehicle registrations under the Mangaluru RTO belong to the Surathkal region, prompting the proposal for a dedicated RTO office.
Former MLA Moideen Bawa had shown keen interest in setting up the RTO office at Surathkal and had lobbied with the government for its approval. In the 2017 state budget, then chief minister Siddaramaiah had announced the establishment of the Surathkal RTO office. A building near Neelagiri in Surathkal was identified for the office, and following an inspection by then joint commissioner of transport Shivaraj Patil and other officials, the KA-62 registration code was notified.
Had the office become operational, it would have greatly benefited residents of Surathkal, Mulki, and Kinnigoli.
The Mangaluru RTO continues to handle heavy daily workloads related to vehicle registrations, document processing, and renewals. Due to staff shortages and the high volume of public dealings, operations at the Mangaluru RTO are progressing slowly. After the opening of the Bantwal RTO, the pressure had slightly eased, but citizens are now once again demanding the establishment of a Surathkal RTO to share the load.
Though the Surathkal RTO proposal was formally submitted in 2017 and even received a registration code, the government appears to lack the will to move the project forward.
Transport minister Ramalinga Reddy stated that while the proposal for a Surathkal RTO exists, land issues, staff shortages, and the increasing shift of services to online platforms have delayed its implementation. “We will consider establishing the RTO in the future if it becomes absolutely necessary,” he said.