Excise dept to outsource production of new number plates

Department holds meeting to review different aspects of project

LAHORE: The Punjab Department of Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control is considering the proposal to outsource the preparation of computerised number plates in order to deal with the ever-growing crisis on a permanent basis.

Under the new proposal, the contracts for the preparation of number plates would be awarded to six to 10 companies across Punjab. However, the government has also decided not to increase the fee of the number plates.

The department had a detailed meeting to discuss the proposal. The pros and cons of the proposal were discussed in the meeting. The Punjab Excise and Taxation Department started the preparation of computerised number plates in September 2006. So far, seeking a tender, only one company was awarded the contract by the department for three years and it could be extended to one more year if needed.

Citizens facing difficulties in getting new number plates

During the last 13 years, the excise department has faced the crisis of computerised number plates five times. The issue of making and supplying motorcycle number plates emerged in 2008 while from 2012 to 2014, 700,000 motorcycle owners could not get the number of plates they had already applied for.

From 2013 to 2014, more than 125,000 car owners could not get the number of plates. The crisis deepened in 2013 at the time of registration of new cars.

The crisis of number plates once again surfaced in 2018. The go-slow policy of former excise secretary Babar Shafi further enhanced it and now this crisis worsened as all the projects of the former government ceased in the four or five months after PTI government came into power.

K-P’s vehicle registration books to get facelift

Vehicle owners will be able to get the number plates from the nearest office of the company that has been awarded the contract.

The excise department will monitor all the process and the current price of the number plate will not be increased while the excise department will focus on discouraging the use of non-sample number plates.

When The Express News contacted Punjab Excise Director General Akram Ashraf Gondal, he confirmed that the option regarding the outsourcing of computerised number plates preparation was being considered.

“Our goal is to provide maximum facilities of the people. At present, there a backlog of hundreds of number plates due to some reasons. We have informed the excise secretary about this proposal. he will take the final decision,” he concluded.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 26^th, 2019.