Mumbai: Paperback RCs for vehicle owners waiting for smart cards

Vehicle owners in Mumbai waiting for their registration certificate smart cards, could be issued the paperback book instead. The transport commissioner’s office is also considering returning the fees it collected.

Vehicle owners in Mumbai waiting for their registration certificate smart cards, could be issued the paperback book instead. The transport commissioner’s office is also considering returning the fees it collected.

Hindustan Times had in its Saturday edition that 35,470 vehicle owners in Mumbai have been waiting for their smart card registration certificates (RCs), as the service provider stopped processing applications after the transport department terminated its contract in November last year. Although it was binding on the service provider to process applications for which it had collected fees, it stopped issuing smart cards from the beginning of January.

As the firm also had a backlog of applications, several vehicle owners have been waiting for up to three months for their smart cards.

The transport department appointed Shonkh Technologies International Ltd to issue smart card RCs in the state. The firm sublet it to Gurgaon-based Rosmerta Technologies, which challenged the termination of contract in the Supreme Court.

Transport officials said they cannot spell out what action the government is planning, as the matter is sub-judice.

The transport department is left with only two options, sources said. Either it must return the fees collected from owners or get the pending applications processed by the service provider. A top official, requesting anonymity, told HT the department is likely to return the fees and issue paperback RCs instead of smart cards. Sources said a proposal for this could be finalised next week.

While RC books can be issued soon, returning the fees could be time-consuming as the transport department will have to first recover the amount from the service provider, seek the government’s permission and only then return it to vehicle owners.

Both service providers Shonkh and Rosmerta could not be reached, despite repeated attempts via text messages and phone calls. The emails sent to Rosmerta on the ID provided on their website bounced.

Pending RCs in Mumbai

* Andheri: 23,182

* Wadala: 6,578

* Tardeo: 5,710

* Total: 35,470