Staff at Vikram Chowk Office Allegedly Demand Bribes for Mandatory Reports; Investigation Reveals Harassment Tactics
Widespread allegations surface that Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) staff at Vikram Chowk demand bribes ranging from Rs 500/- to Rs 1000/- for issuing mandatory Mechanical Inspection Reports for accident-involved vehicles.
Citizens requiring reports to release vehicles impounded after FIRs are allegedly subjected to deliberate delays unless illicit payments, referred to as ‘Kharcha’, are made.
An undercover probe by Jammu Jottings confirmed the allegations, with a correspondent securing an instant report only after paying a bribe, despite initially being told to return later.
Repeated attempts to contact Managing Director JKSRTC, Rakesh Kumar Srangal, JKAS, for comment proved unsuccessful, leaving questions about accountability unanswered.
jj correspondent
Jammu, April 15, 2025: The Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) faces serious accusations of corruption and systematic harassment within its vehicle inspection division, specifically concerning the issuance of mandatory Mechanical Inspection Reports. Numerous complaints suggest that staff responsible for this process at the Vikram Chowk office are exploiting citizens who need these reports to reclaim vehicles seized by police following accidents and the lodging of First Information Reports (FIRs).
The standard procedure requires vehicle owners to deposit a requisite challan fee in the J&K Bank. However, according to numerous reports, submitting the deposit receipt does not guarantee timely service. Instead, individuals claim they are routinely told to return another day, even after the vehicle inspection is ostensibly completed. This cycle of delays allegedly persists unless the vehicle owner pays an under-the-table fee to the staff. Sources indicate the demanded bribe typically falls between Rs 500/- and Rs 1000/-.
Intriguingly, the situation reportedly changes dramatically if a bribe is offered upfront. Individuals allege that upon paying the illicit amount immediately after submitting the bank challan receipt, the Mechanical Inspection Report is generated and handed over almost instantaneously by the same staff who otherwise cite procedural delays.
To verify these disturbing claims, Jammu Jottings (JJ) undertook an on-the-spot investigation. A correspondent, posing as an ordinary citizen acting on behalf of a vehicle owner needing the report, visited the JKSRTC office at Vikram Chowk. Unaware of the correspondent’s affiliation, the staff initially followed the alleged pattern, instructing him to deposit the challan money at the J&K Bank first. After presenting the receipt, the correspondent was told the report preparation would take time and he should come back another day.
Persisting, the correspondent explained he had travelled from a distant location and urgently required the report. At this point, a staff member explicitly stated that prompt service would incur an extra cost (“Kharcha Lagega”). The JJ correspondent agreed and paid the demanded sum. Instantly, the previously unavailable report – a rudimentary ‘half-line’ statement declaring the “Vehicle is Mechanically Fit” – was issued on the spot. During this interaction, the correspondent observed another citizen, a lady, being turned away after depositing her challan and told to return later, reinforcing the perception of a deliberate tactic to extract bribes.
This stark contrast between the prolonged delays faced by non-paying individuals and the instant service provided upon payment of ‘Kharcha’ strongly suggests a deliberate system of harassment designed to illicitly enrich staff members. The critical question emerging from this is where this bribe money ultimately goes. Is it pocketed by individual staff members, or is it distributed within a larger network, potentially involving senior officials? The lack of transparency fuels speculation about the extent of complicity within the organization.
Efforts by Jammu Jottings to obtain an official response were futile. The Managing Director of JKSRTC, Rakesh Kumar Srangal, JKAS, did not answer calls despite repeated attempts to reach him. This silence from the top leadership only deepens the concerns surrounding these allegations.
The situation stands in direct contradiction to the stated policy of zero tolerance towards corruption championed by the Union Territory’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. The public demands clarity and action. Urgent intervention from higher authorities, potentially including the Minister responsible for the transport corporation, is needed to investigate these serious allegations, halt the practice, and hold those responsible accountable. The citizens subjected to this alleged extortion await answers and corrective measures.
