DOHA: Easy-to-remember mobile phone and car registration numbers have become such a craze among citizens that one of several special car numbers being auctioned online by the Traffic Department has attracted a bid of a mind-boggling QR200m, or $54.92m (QR200,394,000).
Since last Tuesday, the Traffic Department has been holding online auction for 19 special car numbers. The bidding ends at 10 pm today.
The amount of QR200m has been bid for car registration number 333355. Until yesterday, the highest bidding for this number was QR400,000 less than QR200m.
Bidders, as per rules, are required to make a deposit of QR20,000 ($5,492) as earnest money for taking part in the online auction and quoting their bid amounts.
Bidding was to start from QR100,000 and the auction is being held through the Metrash 2 service of the Ministry of Interior.
The last bidder, it has been announced by the Traffic Department, will be given an additional 15 minutes when the auction ends at 10 o’clock tonight.
Winners of the auction should report to the Traffic Department within a given timeframe after the online process has ended to pay cash and collect the number.
Some of the easy-to-remember car registration numbers being auctioned include 353535, 363636, 373737 and 333377, among others.
The Peninsula
