HYDERABAD: An automobile dealer from Himayatnagar has spent Rs.2.11 lakhs on Friday to get only single-nine registration number, which is believed to be the luckiest among all numbers.

Officials have called for tenders after two vehicle owners applied for the same number. After verifying the amount quoted in the tender, excluding the registration charges of Rs. 50,000, the number was allotted to the highest bidder who is an automobile dealer. The registration number AP 9 BE 9 was allotted to his new car at the office of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) at Khairatabad on Friday.

Joint Transport Commissioner B. Venkateswarlu said this was the highest amount paid by a motorist in the last two years after framing new rules to allot the lucky numbers.

According to rules, tenders would be called if more than one vehicle owner applies for the lucky numbers in the nine-digit series.

"A vehicle owner could get the lucky number with the minimum registration charges of Rs.50,000, if there is only one applicant," the JCT said, adding the lucky numbers that are in demand from motorists are 1, 99 999, 9999, 786, 555, 333, 666, 6789, 123, in each series.

In order to prevent irregularities while allocating lucky numbers, the department has introduced tender system if more than one person applies for the same number, the JTC said.

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