 "Fancy number plates could be banned in Maharashtra as it gears up for HSRP")
With the state government moving to get High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) fitted on all vehicles, the fancy number plates on vehicles mentioning ‘Papa’, ‘Ram’, ‘Dada’, ‘Boss’ and numerous creative names could soon be a thing of the past in Maharashtra.
The Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Department sought bids for fitment of tamper-proof HSRP on all vehicles registered in the state prior to April 2019, on Wednesday. The state’s decision follows a notification from the Centre which has mandated the fitment of HSRP for each new vehicle registered in the county after April 1, 2019.
Maha fancy number plates: Overview
As per authorities, the motor vehicles office intends to fit HSRP on all vehicles in the span of a year once it finishes hiring a contractor for the job.
Usually, some vehicles display fancy number plates in creative ways, for instance, 8055 is inventively written to seem like BOSS, 2151 as RAJ, 0214 as RAM, 4141 as PAPA, and 4912 as PAWAR.
If everything goes according to the plan, the state government could move with the HSRP decision from the start of the next year and all old vehicles would get HSRP before 2024-end.
According to the state government sources, 1 to 1.25 crore old vehicles are slated to be affixed with HSRP in a year, covering most of the old vehicles.
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Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Department: Insights
Officials from the RTO (road transport office) say that HSRP will standardise vehicle number plates, putting an end to fancy number plates, which many drivers now think are a sign of status.
They stated that the era of fancy number plates is over as the department of motor vehicles is now inviting bids for repairing the HSRP on all vehicles. These number plates were not required for vehicles enlisted in Maharashtra before April 2019.
HSRP contains a retro-reflective film with a verification inscription 'India', made of an uncommon aluminium alloy, hot-stamped letters 'IND' in blue, chromium-based Ashok Chakra hologram, and a unique serial number that has 10-digit laser-branding, building it tamper-proof.
These registration plates, safeguarded against duplicating, are fixed at the front and backside of the vehicles. A third registration mark shows a chromium-based hologram sticker affixed with respect to the inward side of the windshield, if the vehicle is a four-wheeler with registration details.
What do officials have to say about HSRP affixation?
HSRP is also famous among residents as 'IND' or 'INDIA' number plates.
According to the tender documents, around 2.1 crore vehicles, including bikes, three-wheelers, four-wheelers, medium and commercial vehicles, and tractors, were registered in Maharashtra between 2008 to 2019.
Also as per them, the bidders should set up HSRP embossing and affixing centres in the jurisdiction of every RTO relying on the vehicle population there, other than making a mobile application that will be utilised for exercises like appointment, payment, grievance registration.
As indicated by motor vehicles department officials, two days after a motorist takes an appointment through a mobile application for HSRP affixation, the contractor should keep the number plate of the vehicle prepared at its office.
Post HSRP affixation, the contractor will be expected to refresh the information about fitting of HSRP on the vehicle and the unique laser number (involving 10 digits) of the tamper-proof number plate alongside the vehicle's registration number and photographs through a mobile application. PTI KK NR