Telangana joins ‘Vahan’ platform, scraps 2% tax on second vehicle

Telangana Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Monday (March 23, 2026) inaugurated the ‘Vahan’ portal, marking the State’s integration into the national vehicle database system aimed at streamlining transport services and improving transparency. The Minister also announced that the government has abolished the additional 2% lifetime tax previously levied on second and subsequent personal vehicles, with effect from Monday.

Addressing the gathering at the launch event, held at Varun Motors in Hyderabad, the Minister described the integration with the ‘Vahan’ platform as a significant reform undertaken by the Telangana government. “This will enable faster, transparent delivery of services such as vehicle registration, transfer of ownership and tax payments by consolidating all vehicle-related data into a single national database,” he said.

Highlighting broader reforms in the Transport Department, Mr. Prabhakar said Telangana had already integrated with the ‘Sarathi’ platform last year, and the addition of ‘Vahan’ completes the State’s alignment with national digital transport systems. He noted that around 1,500 new vehicles are added on roads in the State every day, making the adoption of modern technology essential for efficient data management and governance.

Vechile registrations at showrooms

He further added that vehicle registration processes have been made more transparent, with registrations now being carried out directly at automobile showrooms instead of transport offices.

He also outlined policy measures including the introduction of an Electric Vehicle Policy and a Vehicle Scrappage Policy, stating that Telangana aims to emerge as a leading hub for electric mobility.

Special Chief Secretary Vikas Raj said the State has been steadily adopting national-level digital initiatives in the transport sector. He said the government’s focus is on ensuring seamless delivery of online services without technical glitches.