‘Personalised’ number plates on cars soon
Sri Lankans will soon get an opportunity to display ‘personalised’ numbers and letters in their vehicle number plates subject to certain restrictions and guidelines of the Department of Motor Traffic, a top official of the department said. The department is taking measures to introduce this scheme owing to demand from a section of vehicle owners at present, particularly the younger generation, Commissioner General of Motor Traffic Department S.H. Harischandra said.
He said that a discussion is to be held with Treasury Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera to obtain Finance Ministry consent to implement the scheme which will become a money spinner in the long run.
Under the personalised number scheme, vehicle owners would be able to use part of any selected name on the number plate along with the registration number. Such a number could be used for 10 years and it should be renewed afterwards, he revealed.
“When you buy a personalised number, you’re buying the right to assign the number to a vehicle and display it on its number plates” and that is why it is costly,” Mr. Harischandra said. The department is planning to implement the scheme within the next three months and the cost of the personalised number has not been ascertained as yet, he said.
But according to motor traders, such a number could cost at least Rs. 1 million per vehicle.
Such number plates are to be used by those who have extra cash to spend or those who use it for advertising purposes, they said. The super luxury vehicle market in Sri Lanka is growing with the emergence of a new class of high spending wealthy buyers despite a drastic drop in vehicle imports during the last two years and this segment of the population will definitely go for personalised vehicle number plates, they added.
These super luxury cars have been bought by young businessmen and sons of politicians or sons of businessmen with high political connections using leasing facilities obtained from major state-owned leasing companies, a survey conducted by motor traders revealed.
The new number plate scheme would be embraced by this young wealthy group in Sri Lanka, they said.