In light of instances of numerous vehicles from different states bearing fake engine and chassis numbers registered in Maharashtra, the state transport department has set a standard operating process (SOP) for vehicles being transferred from other states, an official said on Sunday. The department issued a directive recently after it came to light that several trucks and buses from Telangana, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and other places operating with fake chassis and engine numbers had re-registered at regional transport offices (RTOs) in the state, the official said.

Talking to PTI, state transport commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar said, `Earlier, there was no set procedure for registration of vehicles from other states, and at RTOs, clerks would make entries of transferred vehicles on the Vahan portal and senior clerks would approve it.`