By | Arvind Jadhav
Satara: A recent raid by the Karad Sub-Regional Transport Office (RTO) has come under scrutiny after it failed to yield any significant findings. The raid was conducted in response to reports of heavy vehicles traversing a temporarily repaired bridge on the Karad-Chiplun road, despite restrictions being in place.
The bridge, which was partially reopened for light vehicles, had heavy vehicles banned from using it. However, it appears that certain vehicles, including those belonging to contractors, were allowed to pass through the bridge without restriction. This has raised questions about the role of the Karad RTO in enforcing traffic regulations and the potential for corruption.
The raid, which was conducted by three teams, reportedly took place at 5:30 pm, a time when the transportation of ore normally comes to a halt. This has led to suspicions that the timing of the raid was deliberately chosen to avoid detecting any wrongdoing.
The Karad RTO office has been accused of having a corrupt system, with brokers dominating the office and facilitating illegal activities such as cargo transportation and passenger transport without permission. The lack of transparency and accountability in the office has led to concerns about the safety of road users and the potential for accidents.
When asked about the raid and the allegations of corruption, RTO officials took a stand that their mobile numbers are private and they are not obliged to pick up calls. This response has raised further questions about the accountability of the RTO officials and their willingness to engage with the public.
The situation on the Karad-Chiplun road remains precarious, with the temporarily repaired bridge posing a risk to road safety. The district administration needs to take a proactive approach to addressing these concerns and ensuring that the road is safe for all users.
The district administration needs to take immediate action to address these concerns and ensure that the Karad RTO office is functioning in a transparent and accountable manner. This includes making available a 24×7 contact number for emergencies and taking action against corrupt officials.
At present, the water level in Koyna dam is high due to heavy rain, and the possibility of complete disconnection of this road in the next few days cannot be ruled out if the heavy movement of hundreds of overload vehicles of the highway contractor continues. There is a strong demand from the social level that the district administration should take action by fixing the responsibility of the contractor, RTO, and the concerned officers.
