Protest over inspector vacancy at Trichy West RTO

Trichy: Driving school operators and residents staged a protest at the Pirattiyur Regional Transport Office (RTO) on Wednesday, demanding the urgent appointment of a permanent motor vehicle inspector for Trichy West, which has been without one for over six weeks.

The vacancy, created after a recent transfer, has disrupted core services including license issuance, vehicle registration, and fitness certification, forcing applicants to wait for days. Protesters said the backlog has affected residents across Trichy and surrounding villages.

"Only five inspectors are currently covering multiple RTOs, where at least 20 are needed. The East RTO inspector, who was temporarily handling West, has also been transferred. With no replacement, operations have come to a standstill," said a local driving school president.

Protesters urged the government to appoint dedicated inspectors at all Trichy RTOs, warning that the administrative vacuum is crippling essential services.