Kerala: No more handling charges

Kochi: Now get your temporary registration certificates from vehicle dealers themselves  on purchasing a new vehicle as the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) on Friday started the ‘Dealers on Web’ initiative under which temporary registration certificates will be issued online to the dealers.

So far,  the dealers needed  to take new vehicles on sale to the  RTO offices concerned and they often charged handling charges from the customers. “The biggest advantage to the customers is that  the dealers  won’t ask for handling charges. They have to get a signed document from every customer in this regard. Also the temporary registration certificate could be procured from the dealer shops  themselves  in an hour or two,” said Mr Tomin J. Thachankary  while launching the project here.

The MVD would intimate the customers too via e-mail or SMS when they send the temporary registration certificate to dealerships online. Transport Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan handed over the first certificate obtained via online to Kerala Automobile Dealers Association president John K. Paul at the function. “In states like Rajasthan, Punjab and Delhi, the permanent registration and allocation of number plates are too issued online. We request the MVD to follow their model,” Mr Paul said.

Thiruvanchoor stressed  the need for such modernization drive at a time  when the department faces acute manpower shortage. “With 2200 employees, the MVD is the second biggest contributor to the state exchequer  bringing  an  annual revenue of Rs 3,400 crore behind  commercial taxes (Rs 16, 000 crore).