A statewide protest by government employees in Maharashtra has severely affected operations at the Regional Transport Office (RTO) in Pune, leading to a complete halt of essential services such as driving license issuance and vehicle registrations. Citizens with appointments faced significant inconveniences, as reduced staff presence resulted in long queues and closed counters. Transport union leaders, including Dattatray Ghule from the Shiv Sena (UBT), expressed solidarity with the striking employees, emphasizing the need for the government to address their grievances. Government officials, including Deputy Regional Transport Officer Swapnil Bhosale, acknowledged the disruptions and assured citizens that efforts would be made to normalize operations. They promised to prioritize clearing the backlog once the strike concludes. Frustrated citizens, like applicant Rahul Patil, voiced their concerns over the unexpected delays and lack of communication regarding the strike.