AIMTC urges PM Narendra Modi to abolish RTO check posts in India for smoother movement of logistics goods

The All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), the apex organisation which claims to represent motor transport operators across the country, has reached out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to abolish Regional Transport Office (RTO) check posts, especially at State Borders, most notably in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka, which sees a high-level of corruption and exploitation.

In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, AIMTC says that the implementation of the National Logistics Policy is an essential step towards creating an enabling and facilitating environment for the logistics sector, along with developing progressive, practical, and logical policies that align with the vision of ‘Digital Push’, ‘Make in India,’ and ‘Ease of Doing Business.’ By implementing such policies, India can achieve its goals of cutting logistics costs, becoming a global manufacturing hub and enhance its economic growth.

It says that at present, there are more than 20 crore people associated with the road transport sector in India who are willing to make the National Logistics Policy a success and reducing the logistics cost to single digit.

AIMTC states that the brazen and unchecked conduct of these border RTO check posts is severely impacting the transport trade and adversely affecting vulnerable and impoverished truckers. Their existence is redundant and illegal, especially post implementation of GST, National Logistics Policy & PM Gatishakti. There is heightened corruption, harassment, extortion and exploitation of poor and vulnerable Truckers at these check posts.

“It is surprising that even the state governments of your party are ignoring the advisories of the central government to abolish these check posts, which is denting the fair image of YOUR Party that always advocates for a Clean Governance and Corruption Free India for a developed nation.”

The not-for-profit body says that in accordance with the fundamental premise of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) law, there should not be any RTO check posts at state borders or elsewhere on highways or within states. This measure is crucial to ensure a corruption-free, seamless movement of transport vehicles, reduce logistics costs, protect the environment, and avoid fuel wastage. However, regrettably, the notoriety of the RTO lobby has nullified the intended benefits of GST implementation.

In light of the technological advancements and the availability of online data pertaining to document validity, such as insurance, permits, tax status, Pollution Under Control Certificates (PUCC), and E-way Bills on the VAHAN Portal and mParivahan App of the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, the government of India and E-way Bill of GSTIN, strongly advocate minimising en-route checking on roads/highways.

AIMTC has further called for abolishing border check-posts, human interference on national/state highways and removal of hindrances/bottlenecks on roads will reduce fuel wastage, waiting time and delays caused by inspection checks, and other expenses. It will help reduce logistics costs by way of time-saving, cost-saving, improved efficiency, and ease of doing business.

The letter lists out states where border check posts are still in operation, and “RTOs/DTOs or their agents continue to extort money from truckers on various pretexts. Therefore, we earnestly request your esteemed office to issue directions to all States and Department heads, mandating the immediate abolition of border check posts that are redundant, retrograde & regressive and only foster exploitation of vulnerable truckers.”

“We firmly believe that with your proactive intervention and resolute action, we can eradicate corruption and foster an environment conducive to the growth and prosperity of the transport trade, while upholding the ideals of GST and Ease of Doing Business,” concludes the letter.