From September 1, people need not carry cash to regional transport offices to pay fees or taxes for different services. The transport department will introduce online transactions at its regional offices across the state.
“We had been receiving complaints of cash mismanagement at some RTOs. Police cases were also registered. To do away with the problem, we will introduce the cashless online service in all RTOs,” transport commissioner Mr.Chandra Sekhar Kumar told TOI. “RTOs will have help desks to help non-tech savvy people make online payments,” he said.
According to the plan, the department will install point of sale (POS) terminals at the 36 RTOs to help customers carry out cashless transactions by swiping credit/ debit cards in the POS machines. Recently, the transport department held a meeting with some private banks to explore the feasibility of introducing the cashless service.
“The proposed move will benefit consumers and regional transport offices. It will lessen the risk of carrying cash to the RTOs. Besides, the RTOs need not transport heavy cash every day from their offices to banks,” said Bhubaneswar regional transport officer (zone II) Sanjay Kumar Behera.
Official sources said the 36 regional transport offices collect revenue to the tune of nearly Rs 1.53 crore cash every day.
In a related development, the transport department has included 17 new services under the Odisha Rights to Public Services Act to ensure time-bound delivery of services to customers at the regional transport offices.
“Earlier, we were providing 13 different types of services within the stipulated time. We have added 17 new services. Any officer, found flouting the deadline, would be fined Rs 500 a day till delivery of the services,” another officer said.
Under the new services, the transport department has set seven-day deadline for issuance of duplicate registration certificates, conductor licence, renewal of conductor licence, change of address in conductor licence, issuance of duplicate conductor licence, change of address in registration certificate card, change of address in driving licence, transfer of ownership of vehicle after death, renewal of registration certificate of non-transport vehicles and cancellation of hypothecation agreement.
The department has set two-day deadline for issuance of certified copies of route permit, driving licence and registration certificates.
Prasanta Patnaik 
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