Corruption in Motor Vehicles Department
Corruption within the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) has existed since its inception. For years, agents have served as intermediaries between vehicle owners and the department. With the advent of digital services, there was hope that both agents and corruption would be eliminated. However, the reality has proven to be quite the opposite. As the number of vehicles continues to rise, so too has the scale of bribery and corruption — a fact confirmed by a recent lightning inspection conducted by the Vigilance Department across MVD offices in 14 districts. Codenamed Operation Wheels, the raid uncovered widespread monetary exchanges and procedural violations.
The inspections were carried out at 17 Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) and 64 Sub-Regional Transport Offices (Sub RTOs) across the state. Preliminary findings revealed that 21 officials had accepted nearly Rs 8 lakh from various agents through Google Pay transactions. Vigilance officers also seized Rs 1,40,760 in cash that agents had brought to pay bribes to officials. Additionally, Rs 49,300 was found discarded near the Nilambur Sub RTO office, and more money was discovered hidden in a window at the Vaikom Sub RTO. Beyond bribes for regular services, it was also found that driving school owners collected money from applicants to pass on to officials.
Even vehicle registrations — which should be straightforward when all documents are in order — were handled through agents, with bribes demanded at every step. The bribe required for obtaining a fitness certificate is particularly high. When vehicle owners approach the department directly, officials often point out minor flaws to deny fitness certification, compelling most people to resort to agents for smoother processing. To secure bribes, officials reportedly reject online applications by highlighting trivial defects. When the same applications are submitted through agents, decisions are made swiftly — often bypassing the established seniority queue. The investigation revealed that RTO officials in locations such as Thiruvananthapuram, Varkala, Ernakulam, and Guruvayoor accepted direct payments via Google Pay from agents and driving school operators.
The increasing number of road accidents can also be indirectly linked to this corruption, as officials allegedly grant approvals and certificates in exchange for bribes, disregarding safety standards. While the operation was named Clean Wheels, the reality is that the MVD’s “wheels” may soon turn “unclean” again — a pattern observed over the years. The corruption in this department is deeply entrenched and not something that ordinary corrective measures can fix. What is needed is a complete overhaul — a kind of systemic detox. However, with bribes allegedly making their way up the chain of command, the question remains: who will dare to initiate such reform?