Chandigarh, Nov 5 (IANS) The Punjab government has decided to auction vehicle registration numbers, taking a cue from the union territory of Chandigarh that auctions all VIP and preferential vehicle numbers, generating millions in revenue annually.
For all new registration series in Punjab districts, the number 0001 will have a reserve price of Rs.50,000. Numbers between 0002 and 0009 will have a reserve price of Rs.10,000 while those up to 0100 will have a reserve price of Rs.3,000. All other reserved and preferential numbers will have a reserve price of Rs.1,000, a transport department spokesman said Monday.
“The auction procedure will be very transparent and public will be given due notice about the sale of numbers for every new series,” said Punjab Transport Minister Mohan Lal.
Ludhiana – known as the Manchester of Asia for being one of the biggest industrial cities in the continent – has the highest sales figures of new vehicles in the region. A new series starts in the district every three months.
Given the craze for VIP numbers and the long list of millionaires in Ludhiana, bids for VIP numbers are expected to go quite high.
The city is already listed as the Mercedes capital of India with over 550 of these luxury cars on its congested roads.
Recently, a number-crazy youth had made a Rs.1.55 million bid to get a VIP mobile telephone number.
Transport department officials expect to generate good revenue from the auction of registration numbers. Till now, these numbers used to be allotted to influential people – mostly politicians, bureaucrats, police officers and businessmen.
In Chandigarh, the registration number 0001 has fetched as much as Rs.505,000 on one occasion. All reserved registration numbers are sold through open auction with bids going quite high. For getting even a four digit number of one’s choice, the reserve price is Rs.5,000.