Porsche Taycan Involved in Fatal Accident Not Fully Registered Due to Rs 1758 Unpaid Fees: RTO

Pune, 22nd May 2024: The Regional Transport Office (RTO) has disclosed that the high-end Porsche Taycan involved in Sunday’s fatal accident in Kalyaninagar, which resulted in the death of two individuals caused by a 17-year-old, was not fully registered due to an outstanding fee of Rs 1,758.

While Rs 45,000 was paid to the Pune RTO for the chosen registration number, the registration process remained incomplete, officials revealed on Tuesday. The electric vehicle (EV) is currently in police custody.

Pune’s Regional Transport Officer, Sanjiv Bhor, explained, “All EVs, whether two-wheelers or high-end four-wheelers, are exempt from paying motor vehicle or road tax and registration fees. For regular vehicles, the road tax, valid for 15 years, is 20% of the on-road cost. On April 18, the car underwent inspection at the RTO office. The owner paid for a special number (MH12 WQ2000), but an additional Rs 1,758, covering hypothecation, smart card, and postal charges, was pending. As a result, the registration was not completed, and the number was not issued. We do not know why the owner did not finalize the process.”

Another RTO official indicated that if the car had not been an EV, approximately Rs 50 lakh would have been required for road tax and registration. “Given the car’s cost of at least Rs 2.25 crore, around Rs 45 lakh would have been road tax, and Rs 5,000 would have been registration fees,” the official added.

The RTO regularly releases special registration numbers for vehicle owners, which can be purchased for a fee. These numbers can attract bids running into lakhs if multiple parties are interested, another RTO official noted.

The RTO has warned all dealers not to deliver vehicles without full registration and the installation of the high security registration plate (HSRP). Senior officials from the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) reiterated that dealers are aware of this requirement and have been recently reminded. “The entire registration process is now online, and one can obtain a number within a few hours to a day. All dealers should comply with regulations, regardless of the vehicle brand,” stated Sachin Vasantrao Mahajan, FADA Maharashtra chairperson and a commercial vehicle dealer.

Amar J Seth, treasurer of FADA Maharashtra, mentioned, “Sometimes, customers pressure dealers to deliver vehicles without registration for events or festivals.”