Subhechcha Ganguly 
In a bold and unprecedented move to clean up the state’s transport department, the Punjab government has deputed 22 officials—including schoolteachers, clerks, and civil supplies staff—as Assistant Transport Officers (ATOs). The decision, announced on Monday, is aimed at curbing rampant corruption and bringing greater transparency to a department long mired in allegations of graft.
The appointments come amid an ongoing investigation by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), which has uncovered widespread irregularities in the issuance of driving licences and other transport services. The probe has revealed a troubling pattern of bribes being paid to skip mandatory driving tests and the use of proxy candidates—irregularities that have led to the registration of 16 FIRs, three arrests, and the booking of three district transport officers (DTOs), two of whom remain absconding.
Among those appointed as ATOs are Gurmit Singh, a commerce teacher; Shaminder Singh, a Hindi teacher; and Manpreet Kaur, a social studies teacher. Others include clerks from deputy commissioners’ offices, officials from the Registrar of Cooperative Societies, and staff from the food and civil supplies department, along with a senior assistant from a state university.
The transport department, under the direction of Secretary Varun Roojam, issued orders stating that the deputation will initially be for three years. The performance of the newly appointed ATOs will be closely monitored and assessed periodically. Appointees have been instructed to report to the transport department promptly after being relieved from their current postings.
The Punjab government hopes this unconventional step will break entrenched networks of corruption and restore credibility to a key public-facing department.
