Soon, online bidding at Vahan portal for allotting fancy registration nos
Kolkata: The transport department is fine-tuning its existing system of allotment of fancy registration numbers to vehicles by introducing online bidding at Vahan portal with the objective to make the scheme more attractive and people friendly.
In the extant system, one needs to visit the registering authority concerned for allotment of fancy numbers and it was found that few vehicle owners show interest in obtaining such registration numbers. Hence, most of these fancy numbers remain unallotted throughout the state.
“We are hopeful of reaching out to a larger number of vehicle owners through the new system. Presently, all the major services connected with transport are available in online mode. Now, fancy numbers will also be made available digitally,” state Transport minister Snehasis Chakraborty said.
The allotment of fancy and choice registration marks of both transport and non-transport vehicles will be allotted through online auction by paying a one time registration fee of Rs 1000 in digital mode. This will be treated as earnest money deposit (EMD).
The online registration for bidding shall be open for three days starting from Wednesday every week, and will continue till 12 am on Friday. The highest bidder shall be given four days (96 hours) from Saturday of the week to Tuesday of the next week for settlement of the bid amount, failing which the fancy number shall be reverted to the pool of fancy numbers available for subsequent auction. In such cases, the registration fee shall be forfeited.
As notified, the fancy numbers open for bidding starts from will be 0001 right upto 0020 and the base amount against these numbers have been divided into four categories varying between 2.5 lakh to 6 lakh.
For all four digits containing identical numbers, the base fee is Rs 2.5 lakh while for all four digits ending with 0000, the amount is Rs 1 lakh. If any fancy numbers of a series remain unallotted, the same shall be made available at fees equivalent to the base price, as notified. The choice registration mark will also be allotted in the same mode by the transport department. No bidding will be required for such choice numbers and allotment will be done on a first come first served basis.
Irrespective of the difference between the running number and the choice number in the same series of registration marks, consolidated fee has been fixed at Rs 3000. If the number chosen happens to be in the subsequent series of registration marks, the consolidated fee shall be Rs 53000 (Base fee Rs 3000 + fee for jumping series Rs 50000).
The department is also offering special choice numbers of different combinations with base fee of all such registration being Rs 50000 on first come first served basis. There will also be an option for retention of fancy/ choice numbers.
