<p>What’s in a number? Say some. But there are many who are crazy about the registration number of their vehicles. A few are ready to burn a hole in their pockets to get a fancy number, or even one that suits their numerology. This craze, once restricted to metros, seems to be slowly catching in tier-II and tier-III cities too.<br /><br />Buoyed by response from such buffs, the State Transport Department, in January-February this year, hiked the fees for fancy number to a whopping ` 75,000 in new series. Since then, the number of people opting for fancy numbers, has declined, much to the worry of the department. However, officials are optimistic that this trend will pick up in the heritage city of Mysore, but after some years.<br /><br />Not so long ago, people were not at all bothered about registration number of their vehicles and accepted whatever number allotted by Regional Transport Office. Since the registration of new vehicles was taken care by showroom itself, buyers didn’t have to spend time in the office concerned. The trend picked up when the youths became more conscious about numbers of their brand new vehicles to look different from their pals. <br />What the youths do now is to go to their nearby RTOs, and opt for number of their choice by paying the prescribed fee. A few years ago, the selection of fancy numbers was not a costly affair as the department was charging just ` 1,000. However, seeing the response especially from children of rich and elite families, the fees was hiked ` 25,000 for the existing series. But it costs ` 75,000 to pick up number from the new series, these days.<br /><br />RTO Siddappa Kallera told City Herald that the numbers which are in demand are ‘5555’, ‘6666’, ‘1111’, ‘9999’, ‘555’, ‘7777’ , ‘100’ or single digit starting from one to nine. A few, devotees of Lord Venkateshwara opt for ‘111’. The people who are firm believers in numerology or according to their date of birth, also approach the department to have a number of their choice. After seeing demand from general public, the department hiked the fees for fancy numbers. It is true that demand for fancy numbers in the new series is yet to pick up in Mysore. So far, only one person has taken the fancy number by paying ` 75,000.<br /><br />Recently, Kallera said, one of the customers got a number ‘420’ for his new vehicle as per the order. That person literally came running to him requesting for another number. He feared he would be called ‘420’ by his friends, forgetting his own name, and he didn’t want to suffer through this humiliation. Seeing his plight, the officials allotted him another number. After one or two days, another person came to him requesting him to allot that number for his bike. For a minute, the RTO was surprised to see two different responses for the same number. Now, customers total last four digits to ascertain whether it is an odd or even number and then bargain for new ones. <br /><br />The RTO said rich and elite families who own a fleet of vehicles, make it a point to have uniform numbers for all their vehicles-be it two wheeler or four wheeler. Sometimes they wait for the new series and book that number by paying advance. The fancy number craze is more seen in Bangalore. The applications collected here are sent finally sent to transport commissioner, Bangalore for final approval. ‘Today, ` 75,000 may look costly for people but people may not feel it as big after some years. I am confident that it will slowly pick up in Mysore too”, he added.</p>
<p>What’s in a number? Say some. But there are many who are crazy about the registration number of their vehicles. A few are ready to burn a hole in their pockets to get a fancy number, or even one that suits their numerology. This craze, once restricted to metros, seems to be slowly catching in tier-II and tier-III cities too.<br /><br />Buoyed by response from such buffs, the State Transport Department, in January-February this year, hiked the fees for fancy number to a whopping ` 75,000 in new series. Since then, the number of people opting for fancy numbers, has declined, much to the worry of the department. However, officials are optimistic that this trend will pick up in the heritage city of Mysore, but after some years.<br /><br />Not so long ago, people were not at all bothered about registration number of their vehicles and accepted whatever number allotted by Regional Transport Office. Since the registration of new vehicles was taken care by showroom itself, buyers didn’t have to spend time in the office concerned. The trend picked up when the youths became more conscious about numbers of their brand new vehicles to look different from their pals. <br />What the youths do now is to go to their nearby RTOs, and opt for number of their choice by paying the prescribed fee. A few years ago, the selection of fancy numbers was not a costly affair as the department was charging just ` 1,000. However, seeing the response especially from children of rich and elite families, the fees was hiked ` 25,000 for the existing series. But it costs ` 75,000 to pick up number from the new series, these days.<br /><br />RTO Siddappa Kallera told City Herald that the numbers which are in demand are ‘5555’, ‘6666’, ‘1111’, ‘9999’, ‘555’, ‘7777’ , ‘100’ or single digit starting from one to nine. A few, devotees of Lord Venkateshwara opt for ‘111’. The people who are firm believers in numerology or according to their date of birth, also approach the department to have a number of their choice. After seeing demand from general public, the department hiked the fees for fancy numbers. It is true that demand for fancy numbers in the new series is yet to pick up in Mysore. So far, only one person has taken the fancy number by paying ` 75,000.<br /><br />Recently, Kallera said, one of the customers got a number ‘420’ for his new vehicle as per the order. That person literally came running to him requesting for another number. He feared he would be called ‘420’ by his friends, forgetting his own name, and he didn’t want to suffer through this humiliation. Seeing his plight, the officials allotted him another number. After one or two days, another person came to him requesting him to allot that number for his bike. For a minute, the RTO was surprised to see two different responses for the same number. Now, customers total last four digits to ascertain whether it is an odd or even number and then bargain for new ones. <br /><br />The RTO said rich and elite families who own a fleet of vehicles, make it a point to have uniform numbers for all their vehicles-be it two wheeler or four wheeler. Sometimes they wait for the new series and book that number by paying advance. The fancy number craze is more seen in Bangalore. The applications collected here are sent finally sent to transport commissioner, Bangalore for final approval. ‘Today, ` 75,000 may look costly for people but people may not feel it as big after some years. I am confident that it will slowly pick up in Mysore too”, he added.</p>
