VIJAYAWADA: The Road Transport Authority (RTA) has made high-security registration plates (HSRPs) mandatory for all vehicles that were registered after 2015. As per the official estimates, there are around 1.5 crore such vehicles in the State, of which only half have HSRPs. In a recent circular, Transport Commissioner K Bhaskar directed all deputy transport commissioners (DTCs) to impose a fine of Rs 1,000 on owners who fail to fix HSRPs on their vehicles, which is mandated in the Motor Vehicles Act, 1989 (Rule 50, 51).
A senior RTA official said on the directions from the Centre, the State government has been implementing a HSRP project from December 11, 2013. Since then, all vehicles are supplied HSRPs by the RTA as per a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Road Transport. In September 2021, the State transport department made it clear that it will act tough against users tampering with the number plates norm, which is also a violation of the Central MV Act.
Dealers were sensitised about the significance of HSRPs, and vehicle owners were three months’ time to follow suit before an enforcement drive was undertaken by the transport department or police officials. However, as several vehicle users continue to flout the norm, the department has decided to penalise them. The government is expecting to get an additional Rs 500 crore from implementing the HSRP norm, Bhaskar said.