Pending applications for smart registration pile up

Audit by department reveals bug in the software caused delays

LAHORE:

A digital audit conducted by the Excise and Taxation department Punjab has revealed that the number of pending applications for smart registration cards has soared.

In total, more than 300,000 applications were delayed due to bugs in the software and negligence on part of excise staff and government approved contractors. Shortly after the matter was brought to the attention of the director general, the staff at the branch was shuffled and a new plan to address the delays was implemented.

According to details available with the Express Tribune, a total of 697,000 cards are pending. Under the existing arrangement, a private company will print the pending cards on a daily basis.

In the first phase, pending registration cards of 80,000 vehicles that belong to owners in Lahore will be printed and provided to the excise offices.

Officials familiar with the details said some fundamental changes have also been made to the system for participation in the auction of vehicles. As per directions from DG excise, those who wish to take part in the auction will be provided with the facility of depositing money for reserve price through the “E-PAY” facility. “This will reduce the hassle of carrying cash,” the official said.

For now, DG Excise Saleha Saeed has directed authorities to address the concerns of the citizens as soon as possible. The DG has instructed the IT team to verify the status of the pending cards on a regular basis. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the official said, the private company has been asked to deliver 17,000 cards per day. However, he confirmed that the backlog still remains. Due to the high volume of transactions, he said, up to 13,000 cards are being added on a daily basis to the backlog.

According to sources, DG Excise Saleha Saeed plans to eliminate the backlog by December 31. Therefore, the printing company has been instructed to keep the output steady at 17,000 cards per day. Talking to the Express Tribune, DG Excise Saleha Saeed said that the department is doing its best to provide new and pending smart cards as soon as possible. “Hopefully significant improvements will be seen in the system,” she said.

The DG said new computerized number plates will also be available starting January 2021. With the scare of Covid-19 forcing most departments to reduce the number of services per day, the department is also trying to prevent overcrowding to prevent the spread of the respiratory disease.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4^th, 2020.