The North News
Ludhiana, October 29
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convener Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday launched faceless Regional Transport Office (RTO) services, calling it a landmark move towards transparent and citizen-friendly governance. In a symbolic gesture, Chief Minister Mann locked the RTO office in Ludhiana to mark what he described as the “end of corruption and inconvenience” for the public.
Speaking to reporters, Arvind Kejriwal said that for decades, citizens had suffered under bureaucratic inefficiency and bribery, but the new system would change that. “People will now receive their driving licences, registration certificates and other documents through a single call on helpline number 1076,” he said. “This is not just a first in India but a first in the world.”
Kejriwal described the launch as a digital revolution in Punjab’s transport services. A total of 56 major RTO services, including driving licence and vehicle registration applications, will now be available online or through Seva Kendras across the state.
Previously, applicants were required to visit cyber cafés or RTO offices multiple times for document verification, a process that caused significant inconvenience, particularly for rural residents, senior citizens and persons with disabilities. The new model, Kejriwal said, would eliminate middlemen and ensure convenience and transparency.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said the initiative reflects his government’s zero-tolerance policy towards corruption. “Today, we have locked corruption and opened the doors to citizen convenience,” he said. Mann added that no employees would lose their jobs; instead, staff would be reassigned to other departments as per their qualifications.
The Chief Minister highlighted that Punjab had already closed 19 toll plazas to curb “unnecessary plundering of people” and had introduced similar digital reforms in the Revenue Department. He said that during the 2024–25 financial year, the Transport Department processed more than 29 lakh applications, underscoring the need for a more efficient, technology-driven system.
To support the transition, help desks will operate at RTO offices for 15 days to guide citizens through the new procedures. Mann urged the public to make full use of the digital system, saying that Punjab had become the first state in India to close RTO offices by moving services entirely online.
Cabinet Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia, and other officials were also present at the launch.
