’Same, same but different’

Two Skoda owners with identical registration numbers bump into each other

'Same, same but different'

Two Skoda owners with identical registration numbers bump into each other

For Gurgaon resident Amit Wason, it was a height of similarity. Rather, a baffling similarity which he could never have imagined would occur.u00a0

Twins? The cars were purchased from the same dealer

Wason had purchased a white Skoda Laura on January 13 from Arshia Motors in Faridabad. The car dealer had provided him with a temporary registration number DL-2T-C 0323 and promised him that he would get him a permanent number within ten days.

On February 3, when Wason was on his way to his office in Faridabad, driving his brand new car, he was surprised to see another Skoda car of same colour and same model as his. But what shocked him was that even the temporary registration number of the car was same as his.

"While I was on my way to office, I noticed this car near Subhash Chowk in Gurgaon. Stunned at the similarity, I stopped my car and got down. I asked the man driving the other car how he had the same registration number as I had. He said that he had purchased the car a few days ago from Arshia Motors.u00a0 I then asked him to lodge a complain against Arshia Motors as the firm had provided both of us with same registration number. He however refused, saying it won't lead to anything," said Wason.u00a0

Undeterred by the guy's refusal, Wason then lodged a complaint against Arshia Motors with Delhi Traffic Police on February 3 as his car bore a Delhi number.

Speaking to MiD DAY, Joint Commissioner of the Police, Satyender Garg said that if someone was driving a vehicle bearing a temporary number plate, he/she was liable to be fined. The dealer's fault came second. "This is a clear violation of Registration Certificate rules. The person can be fined up to Rs 2,000," said Garg. When asked what action police will take against the dealer for providing same number to two vehicle owners, he said "A dealer can't provide two people the same number. We will look into the matter," Garg added.

When MiD DAY contacted Arshia Motors, they said that the matter had been settled with the customer. "Amit Wason has talked to us in this connection. The issue was settled. We don't know that he has complained against us with Delhi Traffic Police," said Karan Kapoor, GM of Arshia Motors.