The Hyderabad Department of Transport has turned fancy vehicle numbers into a booming business, making crores off citizens’ love for VIP plates.
Each month, the department earns an estimated ₹5 crore (\~\$600,000) just from auctioning lucky numbers like 0001, 7777, or 9999.
Also Read – GST Horror: No More UPI? Vendors Going Back to Cash
Insiders say single plates can fetch as high as ₹25 lakh (\~\$30,000) from wealthy buyers eager to flaunt status on their cars.
Annual revenue from these vanity numbers is now estimated to cross ₹60 crore (\~\$7.2 million), a figure that dwarfs income from standard registration fees.
Also Read – Student Suicide Horror: Harassment, Betrayal, Fire
The auctions have become so competitive that bidding wars regularly break out, driving prices sky-high and lining the department’s coffers.
For example, in March alone, a single series of fancy numbers reportedly generated ₹3 crore (\~\$360,000) within just 10 days.
Also Read – Rats Drank 800 Alcohol Bottles? Dirty Liquor Scam?
This has turned the fancy number market into a lucrative sideline, one that grows faster than many legitimate government revenue streams.
While the department argues these auctions add to state funds, critics say the obsession with VIP plates fuels a culture of elitism on the roads.
It also raises ethical questions about whether government agencies should profit from citizens’ vanity instead of focusing on improving road safety and transport infrastructure.
Until priorities shift from selling status symbols to serving the public good, Hyderabad’s fancy number craze will keep the cash flowing while ordinary road users continue to suffer potholes and traffic chaos.
