Maharashtra: 10 lakh new vehicles plying sans high-security registration plates

Nearly 10 lakh new vehicles have hit roads in Maharashtra in the last five years without the mandatory highsecurity registration plates HSRPs as per officials reported news agency PTIThe government has made HSRPs mandatory for vehicles registered before April 1 2019 to curb vehicle theft and bring uniformity in identification placing the onus on manufacturers to install them before handing the vehicles to customers reported PTIIt extended the deadline to fit HSRPs till April 30An internal review conducted recently on the fitment of HSRPs in the newly registered vehicles indicated that 105 crore out of 115 crore vehicles registered after April 1 2019 have been fitted with HSRPs while 998 lakh vehicles are plying without them officials saidThis prompted the Maharashtra Transport Commissioners office to direct RTOs to launch a special drive last month against vehicles registered after April 2019 but still operating without HSRPs commonly known as IND or INDIA number plates reported PTIThe state government has also mandated HSRPs for an estimated 210 crore older vehicles registered before April 1 2019Made of a rare aluminum alloy HSRPs contain a retroreflective film with the inscription India a chromiumbased Ashok Chakra hologram the hotstamped letters IND in blue and a unique 10digit laserengraved serial number making them tamperproofWhen fitted using a snap lock the HSRP gets damaged if forcibly removedThe HSRP rule mandates that except for twowheelers and tractors every vehicle must have the chromiumbased hologram sticker affixed to the inner side of the windshield specifying registration detailsAmong the 10 lakh new vehicles without HSRPs many are governmentownedMaharashtras total vehicle number exceeds 4 crore After a prolonged tendering process the transport department appointed three companies for HSRP installation The actual fitment of HSRPs to older vehicles began in December 2024 reported PTIBut the HSRP fitment process for older vehicles has been mired in controversy over the issue of pricingThe opposition parties have alleged that a high fee was being charged for HSRPs a charge denied by the Maharashtra government citing the prices were on par with the other statesMany newly registered vehicles without HSRPs are instead sporting fancy number plates with digits arranged to spell words such as DADA BHAU and others in English or Devanagari scriptSeveral number plates have very small letters and digits except for the last four numbers to evade traffic cameras on highways and junctionsAnother common violation is improper HSRP installation The plates should be fastened with nonremovable snap locks but many dealers are fitting them with screws or bolts In some cases vehicle dealers send the HSRP kit to customers after registration and ask them to get it fitted themselvesAs per officials to ensure vehicles are not handed over to customers without HSRP the transport department has made it mandatory for dealers to upload photos and details of HSRPs on the VAHAN portal Until this is done the vehicles registration certificate is not printed at the RTO reported PTIActivists and former transport officials have however raised questions over noncompliance with HSRP fitment rules pointing to the lack of enforcement as a key issueThey wonder how a significant number of newly registered vehicles continue to operate without HSRPs when the rule mandates manufacturers and dealers to install them before delivering vehiclesA retired transport department official criticised authorities for directing RTOs to penalise vehicle owners instead of taking action against manufacturers and dealersIf lakhs of vehicles are on the road without HSRPs the manufacturers and dealers are responsible The first action should have been initiated against them not against vehicle owners many of whom are unaware of HSRP rules he said reported PTIThis highlights a systemic failure in implementing the regulation and ensuring accountability at the source he claimedThe cost of HSRP fitment is included in the vehicles price and invoices from dealers mention itIf the vehicle is already registered where is the provision to withhold the RC The rule clearly states that vehicles should not be delivered without HSRPs the former official noted reported PTIVijaykumar Duggal director of the 3A Road Safety Foundation NGO asked how these 10 lakh vehicles received RCs when the transport department claims it cannot be printed without uploading the HSRP fitment detailsEither these vehicle owners never had HSRPs fitted or they replaced them with fancy number plates If they can replace HSRPs then whats the point of having them Where is the governments control over their fitment Duggal asked reported PTIA motor vehicle inspector said there is no specific rule for penalising vehicles without HSRPs and the fine is minimal which makes enforcement ineffectiveHowever suspending dealers certificates for first second and third offences of delivering vehicles without HSRPs could serve as a deterrent he addedWith inputs from PTI