Visakhapatnam: The option to register vehicles online that is available at the time of purchase in many areas of Andhra Pradesh has minimised delays in the registration process, but vehicle owners struggle to get fancy numbers.
There is currently no option to request attractive numbers such as 9999 and 1111 through the online registration system, and the RTA has also temporarily stopped issuing fancy numbers. Authorities are in the process of chalking out a new system to sell these numbers at high prices.
The online registration system was introduced in the city of Vizag 10 months ago, for the first time in the state. It was then extended to Vijayawada, Tirupati, Kurnool and a few other towns, after training automobile dealers.
Under this system, people buying their vehicles from a showroom, no longer needed to visit the Regional Transport Office for its registration, and they would receive their vehicle numbers at the time of purchase.
However, this system has created some problems for those who wish to purchase a fancy number for their vehicle, leaving them no option but to visit the RTO office and participate in sealed-cover auctions.
Admitting that people have been struggling to secure fancy numbers via the online vehicle registration system, Deputy Transport Commissioner, S. Venkateswara Rao, said that there was no proper system in place as yet, to sell these fancy numbers online.
“If all goes to plan, the transport department will start an e-auction of fancy numbers in Vizag, Vijayawada and some other big cities, by the first week of March,” he added.
Sources said that the delay in the sale of fancy numbers caused by technical glitches could have affected the Transport Department’s revenue. The AP Transport Department has been fetching crores of rupees in revenue, through the auction of these fancy numbers. People in the state can secure fancy numbers through a sealed auction in areas where online vehicle registration has not yet been implemented.
Transport Commissioner N. Balasubra-hmanyam said that they needed to get some clarity on online payments and the transfer of cash to bidders who fail to secure the number of their choice through the auction.
“Right now we are developing a module with the latest technology for the e-auction of fancy numbers. The bidding will follow the same system as online stock trading. The bidder will have the chance to revise his bid amount as many as times as he wants, based on the highest bid being offered by competitors,” he said.
S.S. Murthy, a vehicle owner said that this was not the only issue that needed to be resolved with reference to the online vehicle registration system. “Technical glitches have been arising in the online system. The RTA website crashes, and often servers remain unreachable when trying to upload vehicle details. We are hoping that the RTA officials will rectify these glitches and introduce the virtual auction of fancy numbers over the coming days,” he said.
Huge demand for 7777, 9999
The competition for fancy registration numbers for vehicles has been wreaking havoc between the leaders of the ruling TD party, and the leaders of the opposition parties in the state. Political influence has also affected the Transport Department’s revenue.
The demand for certain fancy numbers such as 1, 9, 999, 666, 7777 and 9999 is highest among politicians and their henchmen, as compared to other fancy numbers such as 111, 222 and 333. As per the current process, those who wish to opt for a fancy registration number have to deposit Rs 50,000 in order to participate in a sealed-cover auction, which often runs into several lakhs.
However, politicians and their henchmen have been using their influence to threaten competing bidders in various ways, to secure their desired numbers at a cost just above the base price.
Recently, YSRC leader Vinay Kumar made bid of Rs 30,000 at the RTO office of Vuyyuru in Krishna district, to secure the number AP 16 DD 7777 for his vehicle. Meanwhile, Konda Praveen Kumar, a follower of MLC Y.V.B. Rajendra Prasad, had also placed a bid for the same number; and this led to arguments between leaders of TD and YSRC.
A senior officer from the Transport Department, on condition of anonymity, said that a tense atmosphere usually prevails whenever a fancy number comes up for auction, as members of the ruling and opposition parties enter into a battle for the same numbers. What is interesting is that in most cases neither party is successful in securing the number by bidding a higher amount.
“Apart from the general public, the RTA staff also eagerly awaits the launch of an e-auctioning system, as it would allow us to relax and not have to try and convince the two parties,” he said.
