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

Mumbai: Nearly 10 lakh new vehicles have hit roads in Maharashtra in the last five years without the mandatory high-security registration plates (HSRPs), as per officials.

The 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.

It extended the deadline to fit HSRPs till April 30.

The state government has also mandated HSRPs for an estimated 2.10 crore older vehicles registered before April 1, 2019.

An internal review conducted recently on the fitment of HSRPs indicated that 1.05 crore out of 1.15 crore registered vehicles have been fitted with HSRPs, while 9.98 lakh vehicles are plying without them, officials said.

This prompted the Maharashtra Transport Commissioner's 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.

Made of a rare aluminum alloy, HSRPs contain a retro-reflective film with the inscription 'India,' a chromium-based Ashok Chakra hologram, the hot-stamped letters "IND" in blue, and a unique 10-digit laser-engraved serial number, making them tamper-proof.

When fitted using a snap lock, the HSRP gets damaged if forcibly removed.

The HSRP rule mandates that, except for two-wheelers and tractors, every vehicle must have the chromium-based hologram sticker affixed to the inner side of the windshield, specifying registration details.

Among the 10 lakh new vehicles without HSRPs, many are government-owned.

Maharashtra's 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.

But, the HSRP fitment process for older vehicles has been mired in controversy over the issue of pricing.

The 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 states.

Many 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 script.

Several number plates have very small letters and digits -- except for the last four numbers -- to evade traffic cameras on highways and junctions.

Another common violation is improper HSRP installation. The plates should be fastened with non-removable 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 themselves.

As 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 vehicle's registration certificate is not printed at the RTO.

Activists and former transport officials have, however, raised questions over non-compliance with HSRP fitment rules, pointing to the lack of enforcement as a key issue.

They 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 vehicles.

A retired transport department official criticised authorities for directing RTOs to penalise vehicle owners, instead of taking action against manufacturers and dealers.

"If 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.

This highlights a systemic failure in implementing the regulation and ensuring accountability at the source, he claimed.

The cost of HSRP fitment is included in the vehicle's price, and invoices from dealers mention it.

"If 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.

Vijaykumar 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 details.

"Either these vehicle owners never had HSRPs fitted, or they replaced them with fancy number plates. If they can replace HSRPs, then what's the point of having them? Where is the government's control over their fitment?" Duggal asked.

A motor vehicle inspector said there is no specific rule for penalising vehicles without HSRPs, and the fine is minimal, which makes enforcement ineffective.

However, suspending dealers' certificates for first, second and third offences of delivering vehicles without HSRPs could serve as a deterrent, he added.