Wednesday, September 14, 2011

VIP numberplates((9, 111, 4444, etc) in just five months fetch Rs 1.83 crore in Mumbai-Sep 14, 2011

VIP numberplates fetch Rs 1.83 crore in Mumbai

Somit SenSomit Sen, TNN | Sep 14, 2011, 05.08AM IST



MUMBAI: The Andheri RTO received a record 2,509 applications for VIP numberplates in the past five months alone. It collected a revenue to the tune of Rs 1.83 crore.

"It is the first time ever that we collected such a huge sum through sale of VIP numbers (9, 111, 4444, etc) in just five months," said deputy RTO Bharat Kalaskar.
He gave credit to the new "transparent single window system" wherein car owners can come and check for the numbers available for sale and buy it by simply paying across the counter. Also, those who buy the new VIP numbers can retain them for a lifetime as there is a number portability scheme wherein you pay a nominal charge and retain the numberplate of your old car. About four to five car owners have already applied for the number portability in the past two months, he said.

Kalaskar said the response for VIP numbers has been so good in the past five months that the department expects to earn more than Rs 3.5 crores this financial year. This will be a record collection for any RTO across the state. The RTO in the western suburbs had earned Rs 2.19 crore through sale of 2,955 VIP numbers in 2009-10 . The demand for number plate '9' has been the highest and car owners have paid as high as three lakh rupees premium charge for VIP numbers.

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