Government introduces SMS facility to verify used cars

NEW DELHI: In case you're buying a used car and have doubt whether it's stolen or accidental, you can now simply SMS the car's registration number to a roads transport and highways ministry helpline and entire history of car will be sent to your phone. The roads ministry will be issuing 7738299899 as the helpline number for the same.

The government has also developed a web-enabled application for verifications of used vehicles, which is available free of cost. The web-enabled facilities will help get more details about vehicles and drivers as well. The data of car including its date of purchase, chassis number and place of registration has been mapped through regional transport offices (RTOs).

"We've linked the data made available through RTOs. Details of whether car has been involved in any accidents will be made through linking police records,” a senior government official said.

National Informatics Centre (NIC) has developed this SMS and web-based applications following transport ministry receiving several queries about genuineness of used vehicles.