Motor dept officials find mixing of drinks with driving injurious to job

Two motor vehicle inspectors of Kerala have had a bitter taste of mixing drinking and driving, which the Motor Vehicle Department keeps warning against through their hoardings across the country.

Both of them have been suspended from service for accepting the hospitality of a few driving schools and agents who help customers who seek the services of the department. The duo are from two different Regional Transport Offices.

Their suspension from service has been ordered by State Transport Commissioner Mrs R Sreelekha on the basis of an enquiry ordered against the two officials by the commissioner for the central zone.

The private booze party was held in a hotel on the day of the all-India general strike on January 8, when both the officers were supposed to be on duty.

The party was organised by driving schools around the RTO offices, with the help of agents. But as it became known that the department officials had participated in the ‘reception’, there was a hue and cry, with youth organisations of various political parties, including the DYFI, the youth wing of the ruling CPI-M, demanding stern action against the offenders. The enquiry was conducted by M Suresh, the deputy commissioner for central zone.

RTOs have been notorious as hubs of corruption and favouritism, with the officials operating through the agents who act as facilitators. Customers who approach the officers directly are often turned back on one pretext or the other.

Computerisation of RTO operations have helped improve the affairs of the transport department to some extent, but some of the practices still continue under the cover of procedures and standards, which help unscrupulous officials to fleece customers.