RTO services come to a halt as employees stage statewide strike

Nagpur: Routine services at the Regional Transport Office (RTO) came to a complete standstill on Monday as employees in Nagpur, and across Maharashtra, observed a one-day strike to protest long-pending promotion issues and other service-related demands. The agitation affected citizens visiting the office for various transport-related services, with many returning without completing their work.The protesting employees alleged that several officers and staff members have been awaiting promotions for years despite being eligible. According to the employees, promotion orders that had earlier been granted were later withdrawn by the transport commissioner's office, a move they termed unprecedented and unjust.Nagpur City RTO clerk-cum-typist Mangesh Kadu said employees had repeatedly raised their concerns before the authorities but received little attention. He stated that promotions approved by a previous transport commissioner were cancelled after a new commissioner took charge, leaving many employees frustrated."Once a promotion is granted, it should not be withdrawn. We opposed the decision, but instead of addressing our concerns, employees were punished. Such treatment is unfair," Kadu said. He added that clerical staff have also been demanding revised designations and career progression opportunities, but their demands remain pending.Kadu claimed that all 56 RTO offices across Maharashtra participated in the strike, while around 150 employees joined the protest in Nagpur. Another protester, Prashant Ramtake, highlighted the financial and personal challenges faced by lower-ranking employees. He questioned how a worker earning ₹30,000 to ₹40,000 per month could afford lengthy legal battles to secure rights that had already been approved through proper administrative channels.The employees warned that the one-day strike was only symbolic and served as a warning to the authorities. They have threatened to launch an indefinite strike from June 16 if the state transport department fails to resolve their grievances.