RTO officials crack down on unlicensed vehicle rental shops in Udupi and Manipal

Officials from the Regional Transport Office (RTO), on Thursday, raided several shops in Udupi and Manipal areas offering vehicles (bikes and cars) for rent without proper documentation.

Led by Joint Commissioner for Transport (JCT) K T Halaswamy, the team uncovered that approximately 10 to 15 percent of the rental vehicles lacked essential records.

During the inspection, it was discovered that these vehicles were rented out without obtaining the necessary documents from customers. Additionally, a general lack of vehicle maintenance, an absence of air pollution tests, and non-payment of insurance premiums were detected.

Owners of the rental shops were cautioned by the department regarding these violations. They have been given a two-week grace period to ensure all vehicles are properly documented. Failure to comply may result in confiscation of the vehicles, the JCT said.

Furthermore, shop owners were reminded to verify customers’ driving licenses before renting out vehicles. The operation was carried out by RTO staff and a team comprising Senior Inspector Santosh Shetty, Motor Vehicle Inspector Maruti Naik, and SDA Shantraj.

K T Halaswamy, the Joint Commissioner for Transport of Shivamogga Division, warned that similar crackdowns will be conducted in other parts of the district in the coming days. He emphasized that unlicensed shops cannot operate legally and will be shut down.