News
5
Sep
2020
RTOs can issue ‘special permit’ for interstate vehicular movement
Special permit is given to vehicles for specific or special purposes, like taking people on picnic, marriage processions or transporting goods to other states. Following the unlock guidelines, vehicle owners these days have started seeking the special permits to take migrants to their worksites in other states
BHUBANESWAR: Owners of commercial vehicles (passenger and goods) need not take the pain of visiting the office of state transport authority (STA) in Cuttack to apply for a ‘special permit’ for interstate operations. The STA has decentralized the process and delegated the power to the regional transport officers (RTOs) to issue such special permits in their respective jurisdictions.
Special permit is given to vehicles for specific or special purposes, like taking people on picnic, marriage processions or transporting goods to other states. Following the unlock guidelines, vehicle owners these days have started seeking the special permits to take migrants to their worksites in other states.
“We realized the plight of such vehicle owners during the Covid pandemic. To mitigate their inconvenience and avoid the rush at the STA office, we have empowered the RTOs to issue the special permits in favour of the interstate public service (stage and contract carriages) vehicles. However, the normal route permit for public transport buses is being issued in the STA office,” STA chairman and state transport commissioner Sanjeeb Panda said.
Special permit is given to vehicles for specific or special purposes, like taking people on picnic, marriage processions or transporting goods to other states. Following the unlock guidelines, vehicle owners these days have started seeking the special permits to take migrants to their worksites in other states.
“We realized the plight of such vehicle owners during the Covid pandemic. To mitigate their inconvenience and avoid the rush at the STA office, we have empowered the RTOs to issue the special permits in favour of the interstate public service (stage and contract carriages) vehicles. However, the normal route permit for public transport buses is being issued in the STA office,” STA chairman and state transport commissioner Sanjeeb Panda said.
In his order, Panda said the vehicle owners or drivers should approach the concerned RTOs and apply for the special permit at the counters. RTOs have been asked to issue the permit the same day as far as possible. A vehicle owner can apply for the special permit up to 150 days.
The transport department is also planning to offer the service online soon in accordance with the state government’s 5-T initiative. “We are in the process of including the service (issuance of special permit for interstate operation) through the VAHAN application. Once launched, vehicle owners are not required to visit the STA office or the RTOs to apply for the special permit. They can apply it online at the places of their convenience and take the printout,” Panda said.
Notably, the transport department plans to open Transport Seva Kendra (TSK) in urban areas to decongest the RTOs and assist people to avail the transport-related online services. The proposed TSK will be created on the lines with the Jana Seva Kendras (common service centre) that are operational in rural areas. TSK has been mooted for those, who are not conversant with the computer operations and face difficulties in availing the online services of the transport department.
The transport department is also planning to offer the service online soon in accordance with the state government’s 5-T initiative. “We are in the process of including the service (issuance of special permit for interstate operation) through the VAHAN application. Once launched, vehicle owners are not required to visit the STA office or the RTOs to apply for the special permit. They can apply it online at the places of their convenience and take the printout,” Panda said.
Notably, the transport department plans to open Transport Seva Kendra (TSK) in urban areas to decongest the RTOs and assist people to avail the transport-related online services. The proposed TSK will be created on the lines with the Jana Seva Kendras (common service centre) that are operational in rural areas. TSK has been mooted for those, who are not conversant with the computer operations and face difficulties in availing the online services of the transport department.