Some think it is foolishness and for others it is pride. For some, it is the numerology and for others it is simply a way to grab attention. Fancy car registration numbers have always been making news. Just four months back, we heard about a farmer spending a whooping Rs. 17 lakh for his car registration, thanks to his fetish for the number ONE. Well, there has been no regulation on the amount to be charged for acquiring such fancy registration numbers. Recently, the Transport Department decided to bring a change in this process.
The department sent a proposal to the Delhi Government stating the plan to auction the registration numbers. There would be specific charges for certain numbers and this would bring uniformity in the entire system. As per the proposal, the fancy registration numbers would be allotted to private vehicles based on the availability of the numbers and the auction would take place every fortnight. The amount raised through this activity would be deposited into the Chief Minister’s relief fund and would be used for giving grants to the needy.
The proposal is however kept on hold as the Governor has refused to give a go ahead as suggestions and objections to the policy from various stakeholders is mandatory before implementing any such rule. The policy states that the first category of VIP number with 0001 in each series will attract a minimum reserve cost of Rs. 5 lakhs. The reserved fees for 0002 to 0009 will be fixed at Rs. 3 lakh. Digits ranging from 0010 to 0099 will be priced at Rs. 2 lakh.
Registration of numbers like 0786, 1000, 1111, 7777 and 9999 will also be priced at Rs. 2 lakh. Numbers like 0100, 0111, 0200, 0222, 0300, 0333 and similar numbers up to 0999 will cost Rs. 1 lakh and same would be the price for numbers like 2000, 8000 and 8888, 9000, 0101, 0108, 1008 and 1313. All the other fancy registration numbers can be obtained at a cost of Rs. 20,000/- only. The price can be anything but for most of us, it would only seem to be insanity to spend so much just for a number. Isn’t it?
Source – Business Line