Issuance of number plates for vehicles in Punjab has been a troublesome process from past several years. Vehicles owners in Punjab have been facing frustration and administrative hurdles in obtaining computerized number plates. Despite the collection of fees from millions of vehicles owners, the process has been plagued by delays and inefficiencies.
Highlighting the solution, sources told PakWheels, “The Government plans to regulate the issuance of number plates through an open market regime. The department is gearing up to work on a mechanism in which multiple vendors will issue number plates in Punjab as per the design approved/ notified by the government, which will end the monopoly of a single vendor and will create healthy competition in the market.”
A Shift Towards Reform
Over the past three years, around three million vehicle owners in Punjab have paid the fees for their number plates. But many of them never received their plates causing a lot of frustration
With an aim to solve these problems, the provincial cabinet has decided to end the government’s control over number plate production. Instead, they are opening it up to competition. This means that move companies can now make and distribute number plates.
Under the new system, people won’t have to pay fees for their number plates anymore. This is a big change from before when everyone had to pay.
The goal is to make the registration process smoother and easier for vehicle owners. Faisal Fareed, the Excise Director General, is leading the implementation of these changes. The government has already stopped collecting fees for new or duplicate number plates which in turn will help people save money.
By allowing private companies to compete, the government hopes to improve efficiency and reduce costs for vehicle owners. They estimate that people could save up to Rs. 500 on number plates.
But there are still challenges ahead. The department has to deal with a backlog of number plates for millions of people. This won’t be easy, but the government is committed to making things better.
In the past, efforts to modernize the registration system faced difficulties. But now, with these new changes, there’s hope for a more efficient and fair system for everyone.
