The state administration has issued stringent directives requiring all government staff to conform to attendance regulations and preserve punctuality. Although the State Secretariat’s biometric attendance system has streamlined procedures, slack enforcement still plagues divisions like the Regional Transport Offices (RTO). Public annoyance is greatly increased when officers are late.

Because no authorities are accessible at the appointed time, many people who reserve their slots online experience needless waits. Frequently, applicants are abandoned with no one to handle their complaints.

Due to secretariat meetings, even the transport commissioner is often absent. Even in Khairatabad RTO, there is no biometric system in place, so irate applicants who raise concerns about the delays are treated with contemptuous answers like “Complain to whoever you like.”

The installation of biometric systems at all RTO offices has been demanded by union leaders and the general public, who are becoming more frustrated. They stress how important it is to closely check attendance and timeliness.

Due to medical officers’ tardiness in showing up for required medical examinations, applicants have missed license renewals on many occasions. In the meantime, authorities won’t accept requests from applicants who come a little late because of these delays.

The severe lack of plastic cards needed to produce licenses and registration cards is another serious problem. As a consequence, there have been significant delays; applicants have had to wait up to 10 days to acquire their papers. “I arrived at 10:15 am for my 10:30 am appointment, but the officer didn’t show up until around 11 am,” said Venkatesh Kamble, an applicant at the Khairatabad RTO. It was about 12:30 p.m. when my procedure was finished. Staff members that are late lead to congestion, which slows down the procedure even further.

Every day, more than 500–600 operations are processed by each RTO office, including the issuance of driving licenses, duplicate licenses, registration certificates (RCs), renewals, and other services pertaining to transportation. Offices often begin operating later than their designated hours despite this high workload.

M. Dayanand, general secretary of the Telangana Auto and Motor Welfare Union, said that more than 500 people visit RTOs in Greater Hyderabad every day, and many of them are delayed because of staff absences. “Although many workers come late, office hours officially start at 10 am. Given the burden, RTO personnel often only put in five and a half hours a day, which is just not enough, he added.

Due to staff tardiness, tourists sometimes have to wait more than an hour at the Bandlaguda RTO. Mahmood Mohammed

“Hundreds of applicants visit the office every day, only to be frustrated by long wait times and inefficiencies,” said Hussain, an Old City activist. Drivers of transport vehicles, such as autorickshaw and heavy truck operators, also face license renewal delays brought on by inspectors who are not present.