SHILLONG: The District Transport Office (DTO) of Shillong is in the grip of middlemen. Without their help one cannot even think of having one’s work done in this office. Thanks to the inefficiency of the staff of the East Khasi Hills DTO.
These middlemen have fixed charges of different works which is obviously much-much higher than the rates fixed by Government.
At the DTO office one gets a feeling that these middlemen are more powerful than the employees who have been appointed by the Government. These middlemen can be seen moving freely here and there inside the office and getting the works done easily anytime, any day.
The DTO witnesses a huge rush of applicants who throng the office counters right from morning.
The situation will change and Shillongites will not have to complain about the presence of middlemen making money at the DTO office in future.
Plagued by staff crisis, the DTO is contemplating to make legal the services rendered by the middlemen who virtually assist all and sundry making rounds of the office.
Speaking to The Shillong Times on Tuesday, District Transport Officer HF Khongsit said that the DTO would propose to the Government to bring in the necessary changes to legalize the concept of middlemen in the office.
According to Khongsit, the DTO office lacks manpower due to which getting a work done becomes a lengthy process.
Khongsit informed that three posts of upper divisional assistant (UDA) have been lying vacant for last several months.
He also revealed that the DTO office did not possess upgraded equipment to conduct vehicle emission and pollution testing.
“The tests are being conducted by the State Pollution Control Board now,” he informed.
