The Excise Department finds itself entangled in a bureaucratic standoff, resulting in a cessation of the production of registration cards, reported 24NewsHD TV channel Wednesday.
The contracted company responsible for supplying over 8.5 million cards abruptly halted operations at its factory upon the expiration of the contract.
The contract, initially spanning five years with Inbox Company at a cost of Rs. 438 per card, officially concluded in May. Following a brief extension, only 400,000 cards were produced, and a report was submitted. Excise sources confirm dispatching more than 80,000 registration cards, amounting to over 3 crores in total, before the contract's end.
Despite the Excise Department's efforts to kickstart the process through a late tender last month, progress beyond the technical bid phase has been sluggish. The department is grappling with a backlog of 2.5 million citizen number plates, with both number plates and registration cards stuck in limbo.
To mitigate the impact of the slowdown, the Excise Department is exploring virtual card solutions. However, the urgency of the situation, compounded by the impending expiration of the number plate contract this month, demands prompt decision-making.
Reporter: Ali Sahi