Overview
- Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal inaugurated the rollout on October 29, placing a symbolic lock on the Ludhiana RTO office.
- The government claims Punjab is the first state to close RTO counters under a faceless model, with services available online, at Seva Kendras, and via the 1076 phone line, including doorstep support for those unable to travel.
- Help desks will operate at RTO offices for the first 15 days to guide citizens on documents and procedures, and staff at Seva Kendras have been trained for the transition.
- Mann assured that no RTO employees will lose their jobs and said staff will be redeployed to other departments according to eligibility.
- Officials cited about 29.23 lakh transport applications processed in 2024–25 to justify the shift, and local reporting notes a backlog in printing licences and RCs after a vendor tender expired.