Arshad Farooq
Baramulla, Jul 17: Transporters in Baramulla district have raised serious concerns over what they term as “mismanagement and lack of transparency” in the issuance of the Letter of Authority by the competent transport authorities.
Several transporters alleged that applicants who had submitted their requests for Letters of Authority (LoA) in early 2024 are still awaiting approval, while others who applied later have already received the document. This inconsistency has triggered frustration and questions about the fairness of the process.
“I applied for the Letter of Authority in February this year and haven’t heard back yet. Meanwhile, people who applied in May and June have already received theirs. What sort of system is this?” said Imtiyaz Ahmad, a local transporter.
Transporters also highlighted an unusual case where four members of a single family were granted Letters of Authority — an anomaly that has further deepened their suspicions.
“How is it possible that four people from one family were granted the letter? There are dozens of applicants waiting for months. Such practices point towards a lack of scrutiny and possible favoritism,” Imtiyaz added.
Adding to the frustration, they pointed out another incident where four individuals had applied together, but only two of them received the letter, while the others are still in limbo. “If all four applications were submitted at the same time, how is it that only two were cleared? This clearly shows something is wrong with the system,” he said.
The Letter of Authority is a crucial document collected from the ARTO office and is required for various vehicle-related permissions and operations. Delays or discrepancies in its issuance can directly affect the livelihood of transporters who rely on timely approvals to run their business.
Transporters have now appealed to the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Baramulla, the Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO), and other concerned authorities to urgently investigate the matter and ensure that the process is streamlined, transparent, and equitable.
“We are not asking for favors. We are simply asking for justice and a fair process. Let everyone be treated equally,” the transporters collectively urged.
As of now, there was no official response from the ARTO office regarding these allegations.
However, the matter has started gaining attention among stakeholders, and the transport community hopes that the administration will take swift action to restore confidence in the system.
