Bidding war over prized plates begin; auction to raise Rs 200 crore
lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung on Thursday launched the ambitious project of auctioning VIP and fancy numberplates online for private vehicles. These registration numbers for four-wheelers are being called ‘registration mark of choice’. Under Category A, one can bid for a single-digit number like 0001 for a minimum price of Rs 5 lakh.
Bids for numbers like 0002 to 0009 fall under Category B can be made for a minimum price of Rs 3 lakh while for numbers like 0010 to 0099 and 0786, falling under Category C, one will have to shell out a minimum of Rs 2 lakh. Numbers like 0111, 0222, 0300, 0333, 0400, 0444, 0500, 0555, 0800, 0888, 0900, 0999, 2000, 2222 and so on are being auctioned for a minimum of Rs 1 lakh. The Transport Department is expected to raise revenue of about Rs 200 crore every year from the e-bidding of VIP registration numbers. The first auctioning of VIP number is expected from Friday.
“In the first round, about 140 ‘registration mark of choice’ will go under the hammer. People keen on having these numbers can participate in the e-auction by registering online. After successful online registration, participants will receive a unique acknowledgement number (UAN). Online registration will be open for the first eight working days from the start of the e-auction,” said an official.
After online registration, the bidder will have to deposit a demand draft issued by any nationalised bank in the office of DTIDC at ISBT Kashmere Gate. The amount of the demand draft will be the reserve price of the desired registration number. After depositing the demand draft, the person will be eligible to participate in the online bidding process. After completion of registration process, the online bidding process will be held for three working days. One person can bid for 10 ‘registration mark of choice’ against one UAN. However, one person will be allocated only one ‘registration mark of choice’ against each UAN. The result of the bidding process will be system generated and published on the e-auction link of Transport Department’s website http://transport.delhi.gov.in.
“The successful bidder will have to deposit the bid amount within 10 working days. The amount to be deposited will be the successful bid amount minus the reserve price already deposited as demand draft. In case the successful bid is of an amount lower than the value of demand draft deposited by the bidder, then the successful bidder will be permitted to replace the demand draft. In such cases the successful bidder shall deposit the demand draft of the successful bid amount and only thereafter the earlier draft deposited for the reserve price. After depositing the remaining amount, the successful bidder will be given the allotment letter of ‘registration mark of choice’,” informed an official.
Transport Department had notified amendment in Delhi Motor Vehicles Rules, 1993 regarding open auction of available series of ‘registration mark of choice’ for non-transport four-wheelers on June 2. The guidelines and instructions for the bidders will be available on the e-auction link of Transport Department’s website.
The helpline numbers for e-auction of ‘registration mark of choice’ are 011-23865600, 23865601. These helpline numbers will be available on all working days from 10.30 am to 5.00 pm.