At a time when the recession has left people anguished across the country, the regional transport office (RTO) Panvel has witnessed a huge number of registrations of imported vehicles in current financial year. In 2013-14, till February end, a total 75 imported vehicles turned out for registration at the RTO.
The registration of imported vehicles is likely to increase by the end of March 2014, as claimed by RTO official. However, the Panvel RTO had registered a total 79 imported vehicles in fiscal year 2012-13.
According to sources, most of imported vehicles registered at the Panvel RTO belong to bollywood celebrities and diamond merchants. "There are a big number of bollywood celebrities and merchant diamonds who are having their farm houses in Panvel region and they often come during weekend to spend their holidays," said an official requested anonymity. He added they use their farm house address to register their vehicles as they save 3% LBT while registering their imported vehicles in Panvel RTO.
In spite of big number of registration of imported vehicles at the RTO, people hardly see these vehicles plying in city roads. "These imported vehicles ply in Mumbai," said the official. The registration has helped the RTO to achieve its annual target set by the state government. The annual target was Rs 279 crore and major part of it has already been achieved by the RTO. As per RTO official, 20% of the vehicle's cost is charged for registration and most of the imported vehicles costs above Rs1 crore. "The RTO has generated good revenues through imported vehicle registrations," said N C Naik, deputy RTO Panvel.
Till March 13, 2014, the Panvel RTO has already registered a total 36,800 vehicles of which 12,784 were cars and 24,098 were motorbikes.
According to a RTO official, the local body tax (LBT) has helped Panvel RTO to generate good revenue despite the recession. Vehicle owners have been approaching deputy RTO, Panvel to register their new vehicles as there is no LBT in Panvel region.
On contrary, the recession has hit the deputy regional transport office (RTO) Vashi, as the registration of imported vehicles have dropped by a sharp 50% in the current fiscal. In the first six months of 2011-12, a total 14 imported vehicles were registered at the RTO Vashi while in 2013-14, only seven vehicles were registered in the corresponding period.
Up to December in 2013-14, the Vashi RTO garnered Rs123 crore revenue, lesser than its Rs224 crore target. In 2012-13, in the same period, the RTO collected Rs144 crore revenue. There has been around 15% drop in revenue in the current fiscal.
In the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation's (NMMC) jurisdiction, LBT is charged at the rate of three, while there is no LBT in Panvel.
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