As another step in the digitization process of the vehicle registration system in Punjab, the Excise and Taxation Department has launched Smart Vehicle Identification Cards. Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar inaugurated the issuance of Smart Cards for registration of vehicles at the Office of Director General Excise, today.
Earlier the Smart Card launch had been scheduled for mid October, however, it got delayed as the department was not done finalizing the arrangements. With the procurement of machines especially for the Smart Cards preparation, and the staff thoroughly trained for proper execution of the new system, the Smart Vehicle Identification Cards have been launched today. With the new mechanism nearly 22,000 cards could be issued per day in Punjab, this will greatly improve the efficiency of the department where at present 8000 registration books are being issued daily.
The Vehicle Identification Cards, sized at a normal identity card dimensions, shall be employed in place of the currently in use traditional vehicle registration books. The new digital cards, along with the new universal number plates, are part of an initiative under the Punjab Safe City Project (PSCA) run by Punjab’s Excise and Taxation Department (E&TD) meant to introduce a brand new vehicle registration system throughout the province. The purpose behind the launch of vehicle identification cards is to minimize the practice of fabrication of documents and also to streamline the whole process of registration, bringing it at a central digital database.
Under the new system, a car owner will receive a Vehicle Identification Card, available at Rs530, instead of a registration book at the time of purchasing a vehicle. Talking to the media the CM clarified that the government does not intend to convert the car owners forcefully into Smart Card users and the authorities will not force citizens to replace their registration books with the smart cards. The cards, he stated, have been priced as such to be in reach of anyone who wants to avail the facility.
Vehicle Registration Smart Cards Features
The Smart Cards are equipped with a Near Field Communication (NFC) chip which is used to verify the card details and to display the expiry date of the token tax. In addition, the Smart Card features include:
- Owners’ name
- Owner’s CNIC details
- Vehicle chassis number
- Vehicle registration number
- Date of vehicle registration
- Vehicle engine number
- Earlier vehicle registration
- Token tax expiry date,
- Vehicle number of cylinders
- Vehicle type of body
- Color of vehicle
- Vehicle maker’s name
- Class of vehicle,
- Vehicle unladen weight
- Vehicle regular laden weight
- Vehicle tyre size
- Front, rear, and the other axle
- Year of manufacturing
- Vehicle seating capacity
- Vehicle horse power/CC
- Assessed annual vehicle tax.
It is notable that with such a registration mechanism, a vehicle already registered in any district of the province shall not be registered anywhere else throughout Punjab. This digitized vehicle ID format is also expected to put a dent in the usage of vehicles with fake number plates in crimes and will also discourage the trend of late registration of vehicles and the evasion of motor vehicle tax.
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