RC card crunch returns to haunt RTA offices in Hyd

•  Tender for card supply expired in August, halting printing and distribution
•  Fresh tenders to be called by late October, delays continue
•  Thousands of motorists unable to receive registration cards since August
•  Shortage affects offices in Moosarambagh, Uppal, Bandlaguda, and more
•  Telangana Auto Union urges RTA to inform applicants about card delays
•  Telangana HC lifts ban on Color Plast, allowing them to participate in tender

Hyderabad: Once again, the Road Transport Authority offices in Greater Hyderabad have been facing shortages of vehicle registration certificates (RC) for nearly a month. The supply of cards was stopped as the tender expired in August, resulting in motorists being forced to do rounds of RTA offices. Officials say fresh tender will be called in the last week of October; printing and dispatch of the cards will be started.

The printing of RC cards has come to a halt as supply and distribution of smart cards have come to a standstill. The RC cards up to August were dispatched through speed post. After that, the card supply was halted. As a result, thousands have been waiting to get the cards in vain for the last one month.

Sources said the issue of cards is pending in Moosarambagh, Uppal, Ibrahimpatnam, Bandlaguda, Kondapur, Attapur, and other offices.

According to motorists, they continued to face severe inconvenience with inordinate delay in the issue of cards. When THI tried to contact officials at the RTA office, there was no response. Later, it was revealed that there was a shortage of cards.

Said M Dayanand, general secretary, Telangana Auto and Motor Welfare Union, “RTA must make sure there is no halt to supply and printing of these vital documents. They must give prior information to applicants or motorists that the issue of cards may take some time through the media or can also be done by SMS to applicants.”

The problem arises when vehicle owners go to fix number plates, cross the State borders, and during vehicle checking. With the festive season, many vehicle owners are driving with temporary registration (TR) stickers and are facing severe inconvenience, he says.

RTA activist Mahmood Hussain Makke said fresh tenders will be called by the month-end. However, the applicants are compelled to wait for some more days for the issue of cards. “After the fresh tender is called, the process may take at least 15-20 days by the concerned company for the manufacture and printing process. Later they will be dispatched,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Telangana High Court has lifted the ban imposed on Color Plast company by the Transport Department, suspending the debar order and allowing it to participate in the upcoming tender process.

Color Plast is a global leader of smart card manufacture and embedded technology solutions. It had filed a writ, following which the HC directed the State to allow the company to participate in the new tender.