Mumbai, Jul 20 (PTI) The Maharashtra government has set August15 as the “final deadline” for installation of High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) on old vehicles but has turned a blind eye to violations underway in the process, activists and former transport department officials said on Sunday.
HSRPs are designed to be tamper-proof and standardised across all states to curb vehicle theft, but activists pointed to use of ordinary nuts and bolts instead of tamper-proof snap locks, incorrect sizes of the plates, wrong colour codes, faded alphabets etc, all of which defeat the security aspects of the move and also make them vulnerable to damage.
The Maharashtra government appointed three companies after a prolonged tendering process to affix HSRPs, as per section 50 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), to an estimated 2.10 crore old vehicles registered before April 2019. It also laid down that vehicle manufacturers have to do it for new ones at the time of registration, said officials.
The state government had made HSRP mandatory for old vehicles in December 2024, but an internal review earlier this year showed that 10 lakh new vehicles registered post April 2019 were yet to get them fitted.
“I got an HSRP fitted to my SUV on January 17, which was done with a plastic case instead of the snap lock mechanism, resulting it in falling two days later on my way to Nashik. I wrote to the transport commission seeking action against the service provider,” said a Pune-based retired RTO official.
Such unauthorised methods are also allowing fitters to charge for items over and above the officially approved HSRP price.
Activist Vijay Kumbhar, in a post on X, said he was “extorted” Rs 250 for a frame, sent 15 kilometres away for colour coded stickers, adding that HSRP was a “full blown scam”.
While the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR) clearly define three standard plate sizes for different vehicle categories, violations abound, leaving heavy vehicles with smaller plates etc, activists said, adding that placement on the vehicle is also haphazard, leading to visibility issues.
The rule mandates 340 mm, 200 mm plates for medium and heavy vehicles, but many vehicles are fitted with HSRP of 500 mm, 120 mm size that is meant for LMVs.
All vehicles except two-wheelers and tractors should have colour-coded hologram sticker affixed to the front windshield carrying registration and plate details but in many vehicles, especially commercial ones, these stickers are missing, an activist said.
“Moreover, being a transport category vehicle, the hired AC electric buses of MSRTC operating as “E-Shivneri” on the Mumbai-Pune route should have green HSRP with yellow alphabets, but some of these buses are found with green HSRP with white letters,” the activist said.
Incidentally, the HSRPs of many BEST electric buses have faded despite the CMVR norms laying down that these must be weather-resistant reflective sheeting to ensure long-term plate visibility.
“If the government truly believes that installing these plates prevents vehicle theft, it should issue a formal guarantee. They are of no actual use in the future. This is nothing but a way to harass citizens in the name of compliance,” said Vijaykumar Duggal, director of 3A Road Safety Foundation.
Several motorists said these issues are due to the transport department failing to monitor vendors, including whether they have all facilities required for HSRP installation.
When contacted, state Transport Commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar said, “In general, I cannot comment on individual complaints. But if specific vehicle numbers are shared, I can look into them.” He acknowledged that complaints about overcharging do surface from time to time, adding that 40 retrofitment centres have been suspended for overcharging.
“Around 46 lakh vehicle owners have already installed these plates. I don’t think this indicates a widespread problem,” Bhimanwar asserted.
Maharashtra has a vehicle population of more than 4 crore.
HSRPs are made of a special aluminium alloy and include a retro-reflective film, a chromium-based Ashoka Chakra hologram, a hot-stamped “IND”, and a 10-digit laser-branded unique number. PTI KK BNM
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