Bribed transport officials let rogue trucks unleash on Delhi roads

Trucks have become the biggest nuisance for Delhiites who need to drive late at night. The trucks drive dangerously, ply in no-entry zones and often break down causing snarls, not to mention the accidents they cause on Delhi's roads. But don't blame it on the driver alone for your road travails at night. A cabal of corrupt officials - from transport department personnel and traffic police officials to PCR staff who are easily 'bought over' by the drivers, is responsible for unleashing these rogues on the capital's roads.

Officials of the Regional Transport Office (RTO) wantonly take bribes from drivers of overloaded or unfit trucks and allow their entry into the city, which routinely cause jams and often topple over crushing motorists. A Mail Today team that visited highways leading to the national capital at night found as much.

As transport officials stop trucks to line their pockets, traffic policemen also demand a share of the bribe pie as the trucks cause jams.

Trucks have become the biggest nuisance for Delhiites who need to drive late at night. The trucks drive dangerously, ply in no-entry zones and often break down causing snarls, not to mention the accidents they cause on Delhi's roads. But don't blame it on the driver alone for your road travails at night. A cabal of corrupt officials - from transport department personnel and traffic police officials to PCR staff who are easily 'bought over' by the drivers, is responsible for unleashing these rogues on the capital's roads.

Officials of the Regional Transport Office (RTO) wantonly take bribes from drivers of overloaded or unfit trucks and allow their entry into the city, which routinely cause jams and often topple over crushing motorists. A Mail Today team that visited highways leading to the national capital at night found as much.

As transport officials stop trucks to line their pockets, traffic policemen also demand a share of the bribe pie as the trucks cause jams.

Corrupt RTOs While RTO officials, or RTOs, demand bribes ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000, traffic policemen satisfy themselves with Rs 100-200 from a truck driver. This is so because RTOs are all powerful, authorised to inspect a truck's cargo and the vehicle's fitness certificate to the driver's licence and the vehicle's permit. Policemen demand bribes from the drivers citing traffic rule violations.

After a driver pays up, he is issued with a 'sticker' or 'code' by RTO that allows him to drive overloaded or unfit vehicle within the capital without being challenged by lower-rung authorities.

Here's how it works.

At 9.30 pm on the Delhi-Gurgaon border on Friday, driver Dalbir was found fixing a wheel in his truck parked near the toll plaza. The truck was clearly overloaded. Dalbir had driven all the way from Rajasthan and was heading towards Uttarakhand through Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

When we enquired how it was possible to drive an overloaded truck through three states, he first appeared reluctant to divulge the muck. But after some persuading and assurances that no harm would come him or his truck, he started singing like a canary.

Stickers drew our attention to several stickers pasted on the windshield of his truck. These stickers, he said, had been given by different RTOs who in truck drivers' parlance are known as paanch numbaris (number 5 people)'. "These were given by three different RTOs, in Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab," he said.

Dalbir explained that to make the journey hasslefree, truck drivers usually pay bribes to RTOs a monthly basis. "Overloading is common. There other source distributed A source RTOs to PCR cause A border why palms caught Kuan. and The When issues like fitness, taxes and other things. To bypass all these violations, a truck owner pays Rs 5,000 per month to an area's RTO, who then gives a sticker (pasted on the windshield) as proof that money has been paid.
The sticker ensures other transport authorities in that area give the truck an all-clear," he said.

Code Now to the 'code'. Under this, payment is not made on a monthly basis but as and when an RTO stops a truck and demands a bribe. The RTO then gives a 'code' to the driver, which he notes down in a diary or on the truck. Other transport officials in that area wave through the truck when shown the 'code'. Truck driver Mithilesh said RTOs in the national capital ask for more money. "It depends on how overloaded a truck is. Normally, we have to pay Rs 500 even if there is no overloading. If a truck is overloaded, we pay Rs 2,000 or more," he added.

Asked whether traffic police officials also demand money, he said, "At times we have to pay. If they stop your vehicle, they will issue challan for any reason. But they take Rs 100-200 more over the challan amount. Generally, they issue a challan for Rs 200 but we are required to pay Rs 300-400," he said.

According to sources in the transport department, "this is a major Regional Officers truck to certificate/either inability is In 2011, a truck driver was beaten to death by RTO staff in Chandauli, UP Gurgaon

source of income for officials and is distributed among all concerned". source revealed, "At times, RTOs pay a few hundred rupees PCR officials as parked trucks cause jams during night hours." truck driver near Ghazipur border in east Delhi explained why he preferred to grease the palms of RTOs. "Once I was caught by officials near Dhaula Kuan. We were carrying iron rods and the vehicle was overloaded.

The RTO asked for Rs 10,000.

When I refused, he booked my truck and I had to pay a hefty sum as challan. It cost me around Rs 70,000 to get my truck released and transfer the cargo to the destination," he said.

Senior Delhi Police officers admit allowing overloaded trucks to ply in the city is dangerous.

Satyendra Garg, joint commissioner of police (traffic), said most trucks are overloaded.

"It is one of the main reasons behind accidents and toppling of trucks. Overloading also causes breakdowns and jams," he said.

STICKER and CODE

STICKER: A truck driver pays a monthly sum to an RTO (Regional Transport Officer), say Rs 5,000.

The RTO then issues a sticker which is pasted on the truck's windshield.

As the truck passes through that RTO's jurisdiction, it is not stopped by other transport authorities even if it is overloaded CODE: Bribe is paid on the spot when an RTO stops a truck. The RTO then gives a 'code' to the driver, which he notes down in a diary or at some prominent place on the truck, which he shows to other transport officials in that area to ensure that they do not stop or impound his truck.