NEW DELHI: Taking cognisance that an increasing number of vendors have taken to manufacturing and unauthorisedly affixing High-Security Registration Plates (HSRP) to vehicles across the country, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has asked the transport departments of states and Union Territories to initiate strong punitive action.
The authorities were told to either blacklist the errant vendors or terminate their agreements.
“It has been brought to the notice of this ministry that some HSRP vendors have been involved in the manufacturing and affixing of unauthorised HSRPs to vehicles across various states. These manufacturers are neither authorised by the states or Union Territories; nor are they approved by the respective Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) to affix HSRPs to their brand of vehicles, thereby rendering the HSRP affixed as unauthorised,” read a note from the ministry.
The HSRP scheme was introduced in 2005. The primary purpose for making such registration number plates with security features was to curb vehicle thefts. “States are advised to take strong punitive action, including blacklisting or termination, against such agencies that are openly supplying unauthorised HSRPs in the market to unsuspecting and gullible vehicle owners. All stakeholders are requested to implement the provision of the HSRP in letter and spirit and to make the process of availability of authorised HSRPs (with proper ‘Vahan’ entries to all owners of new and old vehicles),” the note said.
HSRPs are integrated with the ‘Vahan’ portal and this type of unauthorised affixation of the plates nullifies the purpose of the scheme, said a ministry official. Vahan, launched by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, is a highly flexible and comprehensive online system that takes care of all the burdensome activities of vehicle registration, leaving the transport department to deal with more important issues.
The ministry has also asked agencies ,including the Automotive Research Association of India and the Central Institute of Road Transport in Pune, the Central Road Research Institute and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers in New Delhi, the Vehicles Research Development Establishment in Ahmednagar, Global Automotive Research Centre in Chennai, and the International Centre for Automotive Technology in Manesar — to monitor the manufacturing of unauthorised HSRPs and terminate the licenses whenever illegality is brought to notice.
“It is reiterated that any violation in the implementation of the HSRP scheme for new vehicles will make the vehicle manufacturers liable to punitive action. Therefore, all vehicle manufacturers are requested to ensure that the vendor selection is carried out with due diligence and to dissociate with any erring HSRP vendors,” the ministry’s note stated.
Vahan, portal that eases registration procedure
Authorised high security number plates should be integrated to the Vahan portal, a highly flexible and comprehensive online system launched by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways that takes care of all the burdensome activities of vehicle registration.