Statewide drive against faulty number plates

The state government will launch a drive against faulty number plates on vehicles beginning Friday. A fine of Rs 500 will be levied if the number plates do not conform to the standards set by the government.

Transport Commissioner N Shivakumar said that the High Court of Karnataka has ordered to launch a crackdown on faulty number plates. Therefore, special teams have been formed for this purpose. No symbols, logo or names are allowed on the number plates, he said.

Permission has been granted for displaying the designation of the officer in case of government vehicles and VIPs. If private vehicles display names of any organisation on their windshield it amounts to an advertisement. Permission will have to obtain from the department concerned for doing so, he said.

The commissioner said that the transport department was facing a 50% staff shortage. “There are only 1,470 staff against 3,000 sanctioned posts. While the department needs to have 430 motor vehicle inspectors we have only 130,” he said.

He said that some changes had become inevitable to bring in transparency in the functioning of RTOs. Therefore, information is being collected about personnel who have been working at the same place for long years. Such employees will be transferred.