Chennai: Registration for new vehicles to cost more

Chennai: Bad news for public awaiting registration of new vehicles, renewal of transport license and RTO endorsements. Get prepared to shell out 20 per cent extra cash on old fee. Several customers and motorists who thronged the regional transport offices (RTO) on Friday were turned back, citing the revision in RTO charges recommended by the Centre, and asked to come on Monday.

According to RTO sources,  the first Friday of New Year 2017 saw a good number of vehicles thronging the regional transport offices in Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu, but proud vehicle owners were asked to come next week and informed that revised registration charge had come into effect on December 29.

“We got the orders from the centre only on Friday and the vehicle owners registering after December will now have to pay extra for all the services of RTOs,” a senior transport department official said.

In the past few days, Tamil Nadu has seen a surge in the sales of new vehicles due to year-end offers by automobile manufacturers and Tamil Nadu usually records an increase of about 2 lakh new vehicles during December- January and this will add to the existing traffic congestions, the official added.

Transport department sources also confirmed that the basic charges collected for learners drivers license and the change of address, removal of hypothecation will also now cost more to the public.

“The license fee for the driving schools had been revised by 25 per cent, we do not mind paying extra, but the corruption is already high when it comes to registrations and this should be curbed,” S. Saidharan, a driving school tutor in Pursawalkam (name changed).