RTO middlemen will lead to suspension of officials warns transport minister Ramalinga Reddy

Belagavi: Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Tuesday issued a stern warning that any presence of middlemen in Regional Transport Offices will result in immediate suspension of the concerned officials.

He made this statement while replying to a question raised by MLC Ivan D’Souza in the Legislative Council. The minister said the department has already undertaken several reforms to curb corruption and streamline services.

As many as 24 services including driving licence and learner’s licence applications have been shifted to an online system to reduce dependence on brokers. “If middlemen are found operating within RTO premises, the responsibility will lie with the respective official. Strict action including suspension will be taken,” he said.

To ensure transparency, RTOs have been instructed to display notice boards advising the public not to approach middlemen. Citizens have been urged to directly contact authorised staff for their work.

Responding to a separate query from BJP member Tippannappa Kamaknoor on the allocation of electric buses from the Centre, the minister said the State is focusing on improving the efficiency of electric buses allotted by the Union government.

In cases where electric buses face operational issues, KSRTC and BMTC have been instructed to deploy diesel buses as temporary replacements to ensure uninterrupted public transport.

According to data presented by the minister, from January 2023 till date, electric buses have encountered technical issues on 477 occasions during operations. Each time, alternative buses were arranged to avoid inconvenience to commuters. BMTC currently operates 1,221 non-air-conditioned electric buses sanctioned by the Centre.

Between 2023–24 and September 2025, electric buses reported 14,082 incidents of battery-related failures and 2,049 incidents of other technical defects. The minister said operators have been instructed to promptly repair faulty buses and resume services to ensure seamless public transportation.

Ramalinga Reddy reiterated that the government is committed to eliminating corruption in RTO offices and improving the reliability of electric bus services, emphasising that accountability measures will be strictly enforced.

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