Technical Snags at Showrooms for Vehicle Registration on Day 1

 Hyderabad: The transport department on Saturday rolled out its dealer-level vehicle registration policy, enabling registrations to be completed at the dealer point itself.

Showroom dealers and buyers welcomed the initiative, noting that the registration fee remain unchanged. A key new feature of the policy is the mandatory linking of the vehicle owner’s bank account details with the registration number.

A team from Deccan Chronicle visited several showrooms to observe the process on the first day of implementation. Many dealers opted to use tablets and computer systems to operate the application. Dealers said vehicle sales were relatively low on Saturday due to religious sentiment traditionally associated with the day.

On the first day, dealers faced technical issues as the transport department’s main server reportedly slowed down or went offline intermittently, particularly between 1.30 pm and 2.30 pm. As a result, several registration applications had to be kept on hold.

Sadanandam, who oversees registration operations at one showroom, said the slow and unstable server caused inconvenience. “At times the server was completely down, and applications already filled had to be re-entered. Customers are usually in a hurry after purchasing a vehicle, as they want to visit a place of worship or show it to their family. Delays tend to irritate them,” he said.

At Sabsai Motors Group, managing director Vijay Mohan welcomed the initiative, saying dealer-point registration offers clear advantages. “It ensures a smooth, controlled and transparent process. More importantly, it provides a single touchpoint for customers, completing the entire purchase process under one roof,” he said.

Several buyers, particularly repeat customers, said the new system was an improvement over the earlier process, which required spending an entire day at Regional Transport Authority offices. They thanked the transport department for simplifying the procedure.

D. Vijay Raghavendra, who completed his vehicle registration after purchasing a two-wheeler, said the experience was seamless. “Everything was done under one roof at the click of a button,” he said, echoing the views of several other buyers.

Peter Paul, CEO of a two-wheeler showroom, said the application was downloaded in the morning and implemented the same day. “There was no formal training from the department, and physical training would have helped. However, the application was easy for staff to use,” he said. He added that while some customers were hesitant about linking bank account details, it was a mandatory requirement under the new policy.

Referring to sales trends, Paul said the current period was the off-season, with around 40 two-wheelers sold per day across eight showrooms in the city. During peak months such as October and November, daily sales usually exceed 80 units.

Joint commissioner C. Ramesh said department officials were closely monitoring the rollout. “The first day progressed smoothly overall. Vehicles were issued temporary registrations immediately, while permanent registration numbers will be generated within two working days,” he said.