Haldwani: The allure of having a unique vehicle number plate is making car owners in Haldwani spend substantial sums, with some bids reaching up to Rs. 8.61 lakh for a single number. On November 10, an online auction conducted by the Transport Department in Haldwani made the enthusiasm for “VIP” and “fancy” license plates evident as vehicle owners bid competitively to secure their desired numbers.
In a record-breaking bid, one car owner spent Rs. 8,61,000 to claim the number UK04AP0002. Other popular numbers also drew impressive sums: UK04AP9999 went for Rs. 2,30,000, while UK04AP0006 fetched Rs. 1,22,000, UK04AP6666 Rs. 72,000, and UK04AP1111 Rs. 35,000. Numbers like UK04AP7777 and UK04AP0008 were secured with bids of Rs. 75,000 and Rs. 54,000, respectively. Despite technical issues halting the auctions for UK04AP0001 and UK04AP0005, bids for these numbers had already reached Rs. 4,86,000 and Rs. 1,00,000.
According to Divisional Transport Officer Sandeep Saini, the demand for unique license plates has spurred a lot of interest and boosted departmental revenues. “This new number series saw good participation, with many people choosing to bid online for these exclusive plates,” he said. “The high interest in fancy numbers is apparent, and it’s becoming a trend where car owners are willing to pay more than the vehicle’s price just for a unique plate.”