Lucknow: The Transport Department has announced plans to open a new ARTO (Assistant Regional Transport Office) in Gomti Nagar Extension, marking the third ARTO office in the city. This move comes in response to the city’s rapid expansion and the growing demand for accessible transport-related services.
Currently, Lucknow has two ARTO offices—one in Transport Nagar and another at Deva Road Extension. Both are located on the city’s outskirts, causing inconvenience for many residents who have to travel long distances for services such as driving licenses, name and address changes, and other transport-related facilities. The new office will significantly benefit the large population residing in Gomti Nagar, Cantt, Arjunganj, Gosainganj, Chinhat, Indira Nagar, and surrounding areas, saving them from long commutes.
According to transport department officials, the new office is planned to be set up in the Sahakari Bhawan of Gomti Nagar Extension. Additionally, the building will house the Inland Waterways Authority office. The department has already sent a proposal to the state government and expects approval soon.
With Lucknow’s population surpassing 5 million, the Transport Department is considering increasing the number of offices to improve public convenience. Back in 2017, there was a plan to establish ARTO extension offices in all four corners of the city. Although consensus was reached to open two extension offices, the plan was shelved over time. A committee formed to assess the need had recommended opening offices in Gomti Nagar, Jankipuram, Gosainganj, and Malihabad. Now, efforts are underway to revive and implement this plan.
In addition, the Transport Department is set to appoint new Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspectors (AMVI) who will operate at the tehsil level. To accommodate them, the department is planning to open dedicated offices in each tehsil. Officials stated that AMVIs will handle vehicle inspections and related paperwork, which would be impractical without proper office space.
Crackdown on Traffic Rule Violations in Lucknow
In a parallel development, the Transport Department has launched a crackdown on vehicles violating traffic rules. Registration and permits of over 13,900 vehicles that have violated traffic laws more than five times are being suspended for six months. If these vehicles are found on the road during the suspension period, their registration and permits will be canceled permanently.
The Integrated Traffic Management System (ITMS) cameras have identified more than 13,900 vehicles across the city for repeated violations. Among these, the majority—12,390—are two-wheelers, followed by 1,325 private four-wheelers and 200 commercial motor taxis. Despite receiving multiple challans, many vehicle owners continue to flout traffic rules and have not paid their fines.
Reports of these violations have been sent to the ARTO office, prompting the administration to initiate action against the offenders. Recently, registrations of 315 vehicles were canceled. Moreover, if any of these suspended vehicles are involved in accidents, the owners will not be eligible to claim insurance.
The Transport Department, in collaboration with the traffic police, is also identifying frequent offenders to ensure strict compliance with road safety norms.