Threefold increase in applications seeking transfer of vehicle ownership

Following seizure of vehicles by police to prevent theft and misuse

City police personnel conducting a drive to check ownership of vehicles plyingin Coimbatore. Photo: M. Periasamy

The number of applications submitted by vehicle users seeking transfer of ownership (TO) at the three Regional Transport Offices in the city has gone up more than threefold, compared to the number of applications submitted in May and June this year.

As many as 4,209 owners of used motorcycles and four-wheelers applied for TO in May and June this year. It went up to 14,465 applications till August 21. Despite a substantial increase in applications, RTO officials said that they could process the applications and issue certificates in one or two days after the applications were submitted.

Intensive drive

The reason behind the increase in applications seeking TO certificates was the intensive drive jointly initiated by the Coimbatore City Police and the RTO offices in the city from the first week of July to curb vehicle thefts and misuse of used vehicles for anti-social activities.

Vehicles seized

Users and sellers of used vehicles were given time till July 20 to obtain TO certificates. The police began seizing vehicles that did not have a TO certificate from July 21. Within one month the police had seized 1,383 used two-wheelers and four-wheelers.

“As many as 1,321 seized vehicles were returned after the owners of those vehicles appeared in person and confirmed that their friend or relative was using the vehicle or that they had sold it to the user and produced a TO for the same,” the city police said.

Not mandatory

The officials said that they have not made it mandatory for consultants, who buy and sell used vehicles, to have TO certificates for vehicles kept in their showrooms. “But, they will have to get the certificates once the vehicles were sold,” the officials added.