High-security registration plates to be made mandatory for vehicles in AP
Vijayawada: The AP government will make affixation of high-security registration plates on all vehicles, including the old ones, compulsory soon.
State transport authorities held a meeting recently and resolved to go ahead with implementation of the gazette notification issued by the Union ministry of road transport and highways in December, 2018 and the Motor Vehicles (High Security Registration Plates) Order, 2018 specifying certain standards to be complied with for making HSRPs for all vehicles to be effective from April 1, 2019.
Though several states and the national capital territory of Delhi have implemented the HSRP for all vehicles, AP is yet to implement it comprehensively.
Once the rules are in place, state transport authorities intend to book cases on vehicle owners for failing to affix HSRPs under the provisions of ‘Improper Number Plates’ specified in MV Act (Rule 50, 51 of MV Act, 1989).
The Act specifies colours of registration letters and numbers category wise, sides of number plates and their display position, it disallows usage of fancy letters and display of other names, pictures and arts.
Earlier, the automobile dealers used to issue temporary registration numbers for vehicles using which vehicle owners would get permanent registration numbers from the regional transport office.
From 2013 to 2017, private agencies were roped in to affix registration number plates to all vehicles in the regional transport offices. During that time, several vehicle owners did not collect the registration plates made with standard specifications, preferring to get them prepared as per their interest.
From 2017, automobile dealers were directed to affix the registration plates to the vehicles and the cost for preparing such plates is included in the total cost of the vehicle.
A senior transport official said, “We are expecting the modalities for implementation of HSRPs for all vehicles to be released soon and there will be more stress on old vehicles as new ones get such plates as per rule.”
Transport authorities say that as any new vehicle gets registration for a period of 15 years and the period gets extended for every five years subject to the vehicle condition. The rule gives them an opportunity to crack whip on vehicles including both new and old having no such numbers plates to book cases and impose fine as per norms.
They say that vehicle owners who sport fancy numbers without complying with norms of HSRP may have to be prepared to face penal action given the instances like displaying only ‘99’ or ‘999’ instead of ‘0099’ or ‘0999’.
