Number plates with large font size planned

Move aimed at identifying vehicles through cameras

LAHORE:

The Excise and Taxation Department has changed the vehicle registration number plate design with a larger font to help the Safe Cities Authority identify automobiles involved in crimes with the help of closed-circuit cameras in Punjab

In order to immediately trace the motorcycles, cars, trucks and other small and large vehicles used by those involved in terrorism and other serious crimes and to provide timely assistance to the security forces in this regard, the safe cities project worth billions of rupees was launched in different cities of Punjab, including Lahore.

CCTV cameras and scanners were also installed in the cities to help apprehend those involved in terrorism and other crimes through the record of the vehicles.

The process of sending e-challans to those violating traffic rules on highways has also started with the help of the project.

But the Safe Cities Authority was facing difficulties due to the design of the number plates of motorcycles, buses, cars and other vehicles. The computerised number plates issued by the Excise and Taxation Department could not be read because their font was small. Violators of traffic rules often could not be apprehended due to the small font of number plates.

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The Safe Cities Authority advised the Excise and Taxation Department to change the number plate design so that the project could be used more effectively through the larger font.

The authorities have decided to change the number plates of vehicles all over Punjab. According to Director Excise and Taxation Rana Qamarul Hassan Sajjad, the design has been changed with a larger font for numbers.

He said that the number plates have been enlarged at the request of the Safe Cities Authority so that the purpose for which the project was launched could be accomplished.

According to the official, pending number plates from January last year onwards would be made in the new design in the first phase. After this, work will be done on replacing the plates of other vehicles.

He said that at present, about 1.8 million numbers plates are pending, which will be dealt with as soon as possible. An eight-member committee headed by the additional DG was formed for awarding the contract.

Despite receiving fees across Punjab, including Lahore, the crisis of number plates has been going on for the last one and a half years.

Last month, the government approved a government-to-government contract instead of involving the private sector. The excise department initiated steps for a contract with a state-owned company.

In the financial bid, the charges of the plates have been increased from the previous rates.

The state-owned company has proposed to increase the number plate fee of car by Rs160, motorcycle Rs184, rickshaw Rs250 and official number plate fee by Rs500. The DG and Additional DG will review all aspects of the technical bid.

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Earlier, the car's number plate fee, including delivery charges, was Rs1,200. The number plate fee, including delivery charges, for motorcycles and rickshaws was Rs750.

On February 1, the chief justice of the Lahore High Court had issued notices over non-issuance of number plates and registration cards.

The court sought reports from all the related government departments. It said the IG Punjab should issue a new notification regarding non-issuance of challans to the citizens who do not have sample number plates and state when the issuance of new number plates would start.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 13^th, 2020.